The IPL is not just about glitz and glamour, but also about players earning life-changing money. The IPL auction is where some of the biggest star names are battled for by franchises to secure their services. Mitchell Starc made history as the highest earner in IPL 2024 auction, with Kolkata Knight Riders breaking the bank for him. Pat Cummins followed suit in the same year as Sunrisers Hyderabad shelled out 20.05 crore for the Australian captain. Englishman Sam Curran fetched 18.5 crore for Punjab Kings in 2023, but was released two years later.
Mumbai Indians splurged 17.5 crore on Cameron Green in 2023 to replace Hardik Pandya, who returned to the team in a trade deal. Ben Stokes, Chris Morris, Yuvraj Singh, Nicholas Pooran, Ishan Kishan, and Glenn Maxwell are also among the top ten most expensive players in IPL auctions. Stokes rejoined MS Dhoni at CSK but was unable to play due to injury. Morris became a record-setting purchase for Rajasthan Royals, while Yuvraj Singh was the first Indian on the list with a failed stint at Delhi Daredevils. Pooran proved his worth for Lucknow Super Giants, while Kishan became the most expensive mega auction buy in IPL history for Mumbai Indians. Maxwell filled the middle-order hole for RCB in 2021.
With the IPL 2025 auction approaching, big numbers are expected to be thrown around with some of the biggest names in cricket up for grabs. The auction promises to be an exciting event with inflated purses and star players in the mix.
