On December 23 in Kochi, there was a mini-auction for the Indian Premier League (IPL). As Sam Curran, Cameron Green, and Ben Stokes won enormous sums of money, the records for the most expensive signing in IPL auctions fell one by one.
Here is a look at the most expensive buys in the history of the league after the 2023 IPL mini-auction:
Sam Curran – INR 18.50 Crore
In the 2023 auction, Sam Curran was the most expensive IPL player. The Punjab Kings bought him.
After winning the 2022 T20 World Cup Player of the Tournament award, Curran was a popular item in the auction. In the final, which England won over Australia, he was also named Player of the Match.
Curran opted out of the IPL mega auction in February 2022, claiming his recovery from a back injury as the cause.
In the 2020 and 2021 seasons, the left-arm pacer played for Chennai Super Kings. Punjab Kings, who acquired him for Rs. 7.2 crore in 2019, which gave him his IPL debut.
Curran has scored 337 runs in 32 games over three seasons at a strike rate of 149.78. Curran also has 32 wickets at an economy of 9.21.
Cameron Green – INR 17.50 Crore
At the IPL 2023 auction in Kochi on Friday, Mumbai purchased Cameron Green for Rs 17.50 crore, making him the second most expensive player in the league.
The all-rounder was up for grabs from Royal Challengers Bangalore and Delhi Capitals as well, but the five-time winner ultimately signed the 23-year-old.
Australia’s Green made his T20I debut in April 2022. Green has two 50+ scores and a strike of 173.75 in eight games. Both fifty-plus scores—61 off 30 balls and 52 off 21 deliveries—came against India in November 2022.
Ben Stokes – INR 16.25 Crore
In the IPL Auction for 2023, Chennai Super Kings acquired Ben Stokes. He and Chris Morris of South Africa equaled the third-most expensive signing in IPL history.
After the all-rounder was instrumental in England’s T20 World Cup winning campaign earlier this year, Stokes received interest from a number of teams.
Stokes, an English all-arounder, entered for Rs 2 crore. Prior to LSG’s offer of Rs 7 crore, RCB and RR engaged in the competition. Shortly after, CSK and SRH also joined the battle. Stokes was eventually acquired by the MS Dhoni-led franchise for Rs 16.25 crore, the third-highest IPL purchase price ever.
At the MCG, Stokes scored an undefeated 52 runs to lead the Three Lions to triumph over Pakistan in the championship match.
Chris Morris – INR 16.25 Crore
Chris Morris, a former all-rounder for South Africa, was purchased by Rajasthan Royals at the IPL 2021 mini-auction, making him the most expensive player in the league. Prior to the auction, Morris was released by the Royal Challengers Bangalore, who had acquired him the year before for INR 10 crore. Morris was the subject of a competitive bidding battle that caused his worth to surge more than 21 times beyond his starting price of INR 75 lakh, reaching an astounding INR 16.25 crore.
With 15 wickets in 11 games, Morris emerged as Rajasthan’s top wicket-taker in the IPL 2021. He did not have a good season with the bat, scoring 67 runs at a 13.40 average. Morris declared his retirement from all forms of cricket in January 2022 shortly after the season ended.
Nicholas Pooran – INR 16 Crore
The Lucknow Super Giants purchased Nicholas Pooran for Rs 16 crore on Friday during the IPL 2023 auction in Kochi, making him the most expensive wicketkeeper batter in IPL auction history.
Pooran was selected in the mega auction for Rs. 10.75 crore and played for Sunrisers Hyderabad in the 2022 season. However, the team debuted the wicketkeeper-batter before the mini-auction. In 14 games, he had scored 306 runs.
Pooran has formerly represented Punjab Kings. Over the course of his four tournament seasons, the West Indies player has averaged 26.06 with a strike rate of 151.24.
Yuvraj Singh – INR 16 Crore
Yuvraj Singh, a former all-rounder for India, struck it rich when Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals) paid INR 16 crore for him ahead of the 2015 IPL. The previous year, RCB made Yuvraj another significant offer of INR 14 crore as he battled to retain his berth on Team India.
Yuvraj only managed 248 runs and one wicket in 14 games for Delhi, falling short of expectations. Yuvraj was released by Delhi before the following season. He was later acquired by Sunrisers Hyderabad for INR 7 crore.
Yuvraj, who was past his prime, would play for the Mumbai Indians in 2019 and SRH in 2016, winning two IPL championships.
Pat Cummins – INR 15.5 Crore
Pat Cummins, an Australian bowler, grabbed attention during the IPL 2020 auction when Kolkata Knight Riders bid a hefty INR 15.5 crore for his services. In his maiden season, Cummins took 12 wickets for KKR and provided useful lower-order contributions, including a lightning-quick fifty.
Cummins was released by KKR prior to the 2022 auction, and the team later acquired him for INR 7.25 crore, which was half of his previous year’s record-breaking bid.
With his seven wickets from five games and his joint-fastest fifty (of 15 balls) in IPL history against the Mumbai Indians, Cummins gave KKR a historic victory. Cummins’ season, however, was cut short by a hip injury.
Ishan Kishan – INR 15.25 Crore
Ishan Kishan, an Indian wicketkeeper-batsman who was purchased by Mumbai Indians for a whopping INR 15.25 crore, became the most expensive signing of the IPL 2022 auction.
The team’s top run-scorer in 2020 was Kishan, who Mumbai originally acquired in 2018. In 14 games, he scored 516 runs and hit 30 sixes, which was a record for the year.
The fierce bidding battle between Mumbai Indians, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Gujarat Titans, and Punjab Kings caused Kishan’s stock to soar. For a player at the auction, the Mumbai Indians were the first team to offer more than INR 10 crore. Prior to Kishan’s signing, MI’s biggest acquisition in the auction was skipper Rohit Sharma, who was acquired for INR 9.2 crore in advance of the 2011 IPL.
Kyle Jamieson – INR 15 Crore
Kyle Jamieson of New Zealand was the second-most expensive player at the 2021 IPL auction. Royal Challengers Bangalore paid an astounding INR 15 crore to acquire the relatively inexperienced T20 player. Early red-ball successes by Jamieson, notably those against India, caused his stock to soar 20 times beyond its initial purchase price of INR 75 lakh.
However, Jamieson quickly lost favour due to an average run in nine games with nine wickets. The Kiwi decided not to play in the 2022 season in order to concentrate on his all-format bowling. The 27-year-old has set himself at a base price of INR 1 crore and will now be hoping to return to the league with plenty of money.
Deepak Chahar – INR 14 crore
After being acquired by Chennai Super Kings for INR 14 crore during the IPL 2022 auction, Deepak Chahar established himself as the IPL’s most expensive Indian fast bowler.
The 29-year-old made his IPL debut in 2016 with the Rising Pune Supergiant, appearing in five matches across two seasons, and taking just one wicket. Chahar was selected by CSK for INR 80 lakh during the 2018 auction, and he starred for four seasons, taking 58 wickets in as many games.
However, Chahar suffered a back injury that sidelined him for several months, which came as a huge shock to both him and CSK. Chahar returned to the international scene in the middle of 2022, but his fitness issues persist.
