When IPL started in 2008, few imagined that it would turn into a grand league in the years to come. The buzz IPL generates with the mind-blowing performances and electrifying matches is second to none, isn’t it?
But apart from the on-field madness, the league witnesses enough drama in the player auction. Thousands of players enter the pool and hope to get picked up by teams.
A few of them get lucky as the IPL franchises splurge a lot of money to acquire their services. On that note, we’ll look at the 10 most expensive IPL auction buys.
10. Ben Stokes (CSK): 16.25 Crore | 2023
The IPL 2023 auction witnessed many overseas players bag lucrative deals. And Ben Stokes was one of them.
The English all-rounder returned to the auction after missing the 2022 season due to an injury. Five franchises showed interest in buying Stokes, with CSK pouching him for INR 16.25 crore. But Stokes played only two matches that season.
9. Chris Morris (RR): 16.25 Crore | 2021
Chris Morris was one of the most sought-after South African players in the IPL. On several occasions, the all-rounder had shown his batting muscle down the order and his pace bowling skills.
That led to Morris becoming the most expensive player in the IPL 2021 auction. Four teams bid for him, with RR splurging INR 16.25 crore to acquire him.
8. Cameron Green (MI): 17.50 Crore | 2023
IPL teams like to go after valuable all-rounders a little more. And the 2023 auction stands witness to that.
Australian Cameron Green fetched a massive deal on his IPL auction debut. Mumbai Indians pressed for the all-rounder from the start, beating RCB and DC to sign him for INR 17.50 crore. Green had a good season, especially with the bat, scoring 452 runs and taking six wickets in 16 matches.
7. Yuzvendra Chahal (PBKS): 18 Crore | 2025
The 2025 auction was a bit contrasting to the past few auctions, with Indian players attracting the highest bids. Yuzvendra Chahal was one of them who bagged a deal worth INR 18 crore.
Being the highest wicket-taker in the league, Chahal attracted bids from half the teams. PBKS entered the bidding when the price was 6 crore and snapped the leggie in the end.
6. Sam Curran (PBKS): 18.50 Crore | 2023
Sam Curran was the most expensive pick in the 2023 auction. Six teams battled over the England all-rounder.
Similar to Stokes, Curran returned after missing the previous season. PBKS secured the all-rounder for INR 18.50 crore.
5. Pat Cummins (SRH): 20.50 Crore | 2024
Pat Cummins was in huge demand after he led Australia to the WTC and World Cup victories in 2023. The Australian skipper put his name in the pool, with four franchises bidding for him.
Initially, it was a battle between CSK and MI before it shifted between RCB and SRH. The Sunrisers broke the 20 crore barrier and signed Cummins for INR 20.50 crore.
Cummins was then handed SRH’s captaincy, and he led them to the final of the 2024 season.
4. Venkatesh Iyer (KKR): 23.75 Crore | 2025
KKR went all in to get back their former player in the 2025 auction. They opened the bid for Venkatesh Iyer and remained till the end, as LSG and RCB tried to snatch him.
The tall all-rounder fetched INR 23.75 crore, becoming KKR’s second-most expensive pick in the auction history.
3. Mitchell Starc (KKR): 24.75 Crore | 2024
Within a few minutes of Cummins’ INR 20.50 crore deal, Mitchell Starc shattered his captain’s record. The Aussie pacer had registered for the auction for the first time after 2015.
DC and MI went head-on for Starc before GT and KKR took the bidding war above 20 crores. No team was ready to back down, with KKR determined to sign the pacer.
The Knight Riders finally spent INR 24.75 crore to acquire the services of Starc. He was pivotal in KKR winning IPL 2024, taking 17 wickets in 13 innings.
2. Shreyas Iyer (PBKS): 26.75 Crore | 2025
Shreyas Iyer’s stocks were rising after he led KKR to their third IPL title in 2024. Surprisingly, KKR didn’t retain him, and he ended up as a marquee player in the 2025 auction.
Although KKR did bid for Shreyas, it was Ricky Ponting-led PBKS that raised the winning paddle at INR 26.75 crore. The Mumbai batter became the first player to get a deal of 25-plus crore in an IPL auction.
1. Rishabh Pant (LSG): 27 Crore | 2025
Rishabh Pant was another captain to not get retained by his team before the 2025 auction. And there was no doubt that the wicketkeeper would fetch a massive bid.
That became a reality as LSG shelled out a whopping INR 27 crore, beating DC’s plan of using the RTM card for Pant at INR 20.75 crore. There was a three-way battle between LSG, RCB, and SRH over the keeper-batter.
