The Indian Premier League (IPL) has always been a spectacle of high-stakes bidding wars, with franchises breaking the bank to secure the best talent. With the IPL 2025 auction just around the corner, let’s take a look back at the most expensive players from every IPL auction, spanning from 2008 to 2024.
From MS Dhoni to Mitchell Starc: A Year-by-Year Breakdown
2008 – MS Dhoni (Chennai Super Kings)
The inaugural IPL auction set the stage for fierce bidding. MS Dhoni became the highest-paid player, fetching Rs 9.5 crore from Chennai Super Kings.
2009 – Kevin Pietersen & Andrew Flintoff
Both Kevin Pietersen (Royal Challengers Bangalore) and Andrew Flintoff (Chennai Super Kings) were picked for Rs 9.8 crore, tying for the top spot.
2010 – Shane Bond & Kieron Pollard
Shane Bond (Kolkata Knight Riders) and Kieron Pollard (Mumbai Indians) shared the spotlight with Rs 4.8 crore each.
2011 – Gautam Gambhir (Kolkata Knight Riders)
KKR secured Gautam Gambhir for a staggering Rs 14.9 crore, setting a new benchmark in IPL auctions.
2012 – Ravindra Jadeja (Chennai Super Kings)
Ravindra Jadeja was snapped up by CSK for Rs 12.8 crore, making him the highest-paid player of the season.
2013 – Glenn Maxwell (Mumbai Indians)
The “Big Show,” Glenn Maxwell, went to Mumbai Indians for Rs 6.3 crore.
2014 – Yuvraj Singh (Royal Challengers Bangalore)
RCB acquired Yuvraj Singh for Rs 14 crore, cementing his star status.
2015 – Yuvraj Singh (Delhi Daredevils)
In back-to-back years, Yuvraj was the most expensive player, with Delhi Daredevils bidding a record Rs 16 crore.
2016 – Shane Watson (Royal Challengers Bangalore)
RCB added Shane Watson to their lineup for Rs 9.5 crore.
2017 – Ben Stokes (Rising Pune Supergiant)
Ben Stokes became the highest-paid player of IPL 2017, earning Rs 14.5 crore with Rising Pune Supergiant.
2018 – Ben Stokes (Rajasthan Royals)
Stokes retained his top spot as the costliest player, this time with Rajasthan Royals for Rs 12.5 crore.
2019 – Jaydev Unadkat & Varun Chakravarthy
Both Rajasthan Royals and Kings XI Punjab spent Rs 8.4 crore each on Jaydev Unadkat and Varun Chakravarthy, respectively.
2020 – Pat Cummins (Kolkata Knight Riders)
KKR made Pat Cummins the most expensive overseas player at the time, with a bid of Rs 15.5 crore.
2021 – Chris Morris (Rajasthan Royals)
Chris Morris shattered records with Rajasthan Royals purchasing him for Rs 16.25 crore.
2022 – Ishan Kishan (Mumbai Indians)
Mumbai Indians made Ishan Kishan the highest-paid player of the year at Rs 15.25 crore.
2023 – Sam Curran (Punjab Kings)
Sam Curran created history as the most expensive player ever with a Rs 18.5 crore deal by Punjab Kings.
2024 – Mitchell Starc (Kolkata Knight Riders)
KKR set a new record, acquiring Mitchell Starc for an unprecedented Rs 24.75 crore, the highest in IPL history.
The Ever-Rising Auction Numbers
From MS Dhoni’s Rs 9.5 crore in 2008 to Mitchell Starc’s record-breaking Rs 24.75 crore in 2024, the IPL auctions have seen a dramatic rise in player valuations. With Rs 641 crore at stake in the upcoming IPL 2025 mega auction, fans eagerly await the next big name to shatter these records.
