The Indian Premier League (IPL) auction is one of the most anticipated events by cricket fans in India. In the yearly event, franchises throw big money to secure the services of talented and experienced cricketers. A player with the highest bid in an IPL auction grabs the spotlight and etches their name in the IPL auction history. This blog looks at the highest bid in each of the IPL auctions.
Full List of Year-wise Most Expensive Players in IPL History
The highest bid in the IPL brings money, fame, and considerable pressure to perform. While some players have thrived, others have struggled to live up to the hype. Some franchises have learned that making a player the most expensive in an auction doesn’t guarantee success. From the legendary MS Dhoni to Rishabh Pant, the following is a list of players who received the highest bid in the IPL auction over the years.
IPL 2008 - MS Dhoni (US$1.5 million)
After guiding India to glory in the first-ever T20 World Cup, 'Captain Cool' MS Dhoni went for a massive US$1.5 million in the first IPL auction. He received the highest bid in the inaugural IPL auction. The wicketkeeper-batter is now the joint-most successful IPL captain, winning the IPL trophy five times - 2010, 2011, 2018, 2021, and 2023 - for Chennai Super Kings (CSK). Dhoni will feature for the Chennai outfit in the 2025 season.
IPL 2009 - Kevin Pietersen & Andrew Flintoff (US$ 1.55 million)
England internationals Kevin Pietersen and Andrew Flintoff went for a massive US$ 1.55 million in the IPL 2009 auction. Pietersen went to Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), while CSK snapped up Flintoff. However, both players couldn’t make an impact for their respective franchises. Pietersen managed just 93 runs in six innings. On the other hand, Flintoff made just three appearances for CSK.
IPL 2010 - Kieron Pollard & Shane Bond ($750,000)
Shane Bond and Kieron Pollard received the highest bids in the 2010 auction. Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Mumbai Indians (MI) paid $750,000 for the Kiwi pacer and Caribbean all-rounder. Bond took nine wickets in eight outings, while Pollard scored 250 runs and grabbed 15 wickets.
IPL 2011 - Gautam Gambhir ($2.4 million)
Gautam Gambhir went to KKR for a massive $2.4 million in the 2011 auction. The left-handed batter, who guided the Kolkata-based franchise to titles in the 2012 and 2014 seasons, amassed close to 400 runs in the Knight Riders jersey in the fourth edition of the IPL.
IPL 2012 - Ravindra Jadeja ($2 million)
All-rounder Ravindra Jadeja was the most expensive player in the IPL 2012 season after being bought by CSK for $2 million. In his debut season, Jadeja picked up 12 wickets and scored 191 runs. He is still playing his trade with CSK, with whom he has won the IPL three times.
IPL 2013 - Glenn Maxwell ($1 million)
Glenn Maxwell joined MI for $1 million in the sixth IPL auction. The hard-hitting batter, who only featured for the franchise in three games in the 2013 edition, has been an integral part of the IPL and has also played for Kings XI Punjab, Delhi Daredevils, and RCB.
IPL 2014 - Yuvraj Singh (₹14 crore)
Royal Challengers Bangalore paid ₹14 crore to acquire Yuvraj Singh's services in the IPL 2014 season, making it the highest bid in IPL history at that time. The champion batter, who won a T20 and an ODI World Cup in India colors, made 376 runs in 14 innings in his only season with the Bengaluru-based franchise.
IPL 2015 - Yuvraj Singh (₹16 crore)
Yuvraj was at it again! Delhi Daredevils decided to take the auction game a notch higher, as the franchise paid ₹16 crore to get Yuvraj onboard. The price proved too much, as the left-handed batter could only amass 236 runs in ten outings. He is the only India cricketer to get the highest bid in consecutive IPL auctions.
Delhi Capitals spent a whopping 16 CR for Yuvraj Singh back in the 2015 Auction 😯
— Cricket.com (@weRcricket) December 20, 2022
Who will DC target in the upcoming IPL Auction? 👀#CricketTwitter #IPL2023 #IPLAuction pic.twitter.com/kw3QZKGVBQ
IPL 2016 - Shane Watson (₹9.5 crore)
Shane Watson got the highest bid in the IPL 2016 auction as RCB splashed ₹9.5 crore for the all-rounder, who was part of the 2008 IPL-winning Rajasthan Royals (RR) squad. The Aussie had an outstanding campaign with the ball. He claimed 20 wickets, finishing as the highest wicket-taker among overseas players.
IPL 2017 - Ben Stokes (₹14.5 crore)
Ben Stokes announced himself on the IPL stage after the now-defunct Rising Pune Supergiant shelled out ₹14.5 crore for the England all-rounder in the 2017 season. He scored over 300 runs, including a hundred, at a strike rate of 143 and took 12 wickets in his maiden IPL season.
IPL 2018 - Ben Stokes - (₹12.5 crore)
Returning from a two-year suspension, RR shelled out ₹12.5 crore for Stokes in the 2018 auction, making the Englishman the second player to get the highest bid in two consecutive IPL auctions. However, he couldn't replicate the previous season's exploits. The all-rounder made just 196 runs and took only eight wickets in 13 matches.
Highest overseas paid player in this year's auction - Ben Stokes (12.5 crs)
— Umang Pabari (@UPStatsman) January 28, 2018
Highest Indian paid player in this year's auction - Jaydev Unadkat (11.5 crs)
Both will play for Rajasthan Royals. #IPLAuction
IPL 2019 - Varun Chakaravarthy & Jaydev Unadkat (₹8.4 crore)
Left-arm pacer Jaydev Unadkat and mystery spinner Varun Chakaravarthy grabbed the spotlight in the IPL 2019 auction. Varun joined the Mohali-based franchise, while RR secured the services of Unadkat for ₹8.4 crore. Unadkat had a decent outing with the ball for the Royals, picking up ten wickets. However, Varun's maiden IPL campaign got derailed by a finger injury.
IPL 2020 - Pat Cummins (₹15.5 crore)
Australian pacer Pat Cummins was the top buy in the IPL 2020 auction thanks to Kolkata Knight Riders paying a whopping ₹15.5 crore. He felt the price tag pressure and couldn't deliver with the ball consistently. The unbeaten 53 against MI was his biggest bright spark from the pandemic-affected season.
IPL 2021 - Chris Morris (₹16.25 crore)
Chris Morris grabbed the headlines in the 2021 auction after the Royals sealed his signature by paying ₹16.25 crore. He is the first and only South African international to become an expensive player in an IPL season. Though the Royals failed to reach the playoffs that season, Morris had a good outing with the ball. He claimed 15 wickets, finishing as the RR's highest wicket-taker in IPL 2021.
IPL 2022 - Ishan Kishan (₹15.25 crore)
MI released Ishan Kishan ahead of the IPL 2022 mega auction. However, they wanted to bring the wicketkeeper-batter back but faced stiff competition. The five-time champions had their way, as they bought back Ishan for a franchise record fee of ₹15.25 crore. He repaid MI's faith in him by amassing more than 400 runs in the 2022 edition.
IPL 2023 - Sam Curran (₹18.5 crore)
Punjab Kings made the highest bid in the IPL 2023 auction after buying Sam Curran for ₹18.5 crore. The England cricketer, who had won the Player of the Tournament award in the 2022 T20 World Cup, struggled to live up to the Mohali-based franchise's expectations. Though he excelled with the bat, Curran took only 10 wickets in the 2023 season.
IPL 2024 - Mitchell Starc (₹24.75 crore)
Starc is the most costliest overseas player in the IPL auction history. KKR broke their bank - ₹24.75 crore - for the left-arm pacer, who was returning to IPL after a long absence. Starc played a pivotal role in KKR’s 2024 IPL triumph as he took 17 wickets and won the Player of the Match award in the final.
IPL 2025 - Rishabh Pant (₹27 Crore)
At ₹27 crore, Rishabh Pant is the player who received the highest bid in IPL history. He was likely to break all the records at the 2025 mega auction when he parted ways with Delhi Capitals. Lucknow Super Giants were keen on buying him and splashed a record fee to make him the most expensive signing at an IPL auction. Pant returned to cricketing action in March 2024 after a horrific car crash that forced him to miss cricket for over a year.
MEET THE MOST EXPENSIVE PICK IN THE #TATAIPL HISTORY 🙌
— JioCinema (@JioCinema) November 24, 2024
Watch #IPLAuction LIVE NOW on #JioCinema & #StarSports👇🏻https://t.co/nuBiKyfyEh#RishabhPant #TATAIPL #IPLAuctiononJioStar #JioCinemaSports #LSG pic.twitter.com/kgMFhdE5g1
Concluding Thoughts
Being the player with the highest bid in an IPL season brings plenty of money and spotlight. But living up to the hefty price by performing consistently in IPL is difficult. With IPL continuing to grow, franchises are likely to splash more money and more auction records could be written in the coming seasons.
FAQs
Which player received the highest bid in IPL?
Rishabh Pant has the record for receiving the highest bid in IPL history. At the IPL 2025 mega auction, Lucknow Super Giants bought Pant for ₹27 crore.
Which overseas player received the highest bid in an IPL auction?
Mitchell Starc is the most expensive overseas player at the IPL auctions ever. Kolkata Knight Riders bought the left-arm fast bowler for ₹24.75 crore.
Is there any player who has become the most expensive player in more than one auction?
Yuvraj Singh and Ben Stokes have become the most expensive players twice. Yuvraj received the highest bid in the 2014 and 2015 auctions, while Stokes was the most expensive player in the 2017 and 2018 auctions.