IPL and big money are synonymous with each other, as we’ve seen players earning massive amounts. Now with the IPL mega auction coming up, all 10 franchises will be ready to spend big to acquire top players. This time, with many marquee players in the auction, it’s expected that we’ll see these big names snatching up big bucks. Speaking of expensive players in the IPL auction, there are many names who have earned the spotlight by securing hefty bids.
The first-ever IPL auction took place on 20th February 2008 in Mumbai, where 77 players went under the hammer, with only two players, Pakistan’s Mohammed Yousuf and South Africa’s Ashwell Prince, going unsold. It was then Indian captain MS Dhoni who became the costliest player, with Chennai Super Kings spending $1.5 million (INR 9.5 crore) on him. Since then, every IPL auction has seen important names grab attention and earn huge sums. Check the full list of the most expensive players in IPL from 2008-2024.
Most Expensive Players in IPL history
| Year | Player | Team | Bid Amount (Rs) |
| 2008 | MS Dhoni | Chennai Super Kings | 9.5 Crore |
| 2009 | Kevin Pietersen | Royal Challengers Bangalore | 9.8 Crore |
| 2009 | Andrew Flintoff | Chennai Super Kings | 9.8 Crore |
| 2010 | Shane Bond | Kolkata Knight Riders | 4.8 Crore |
| 2010 | Kieron Pollard | Mumbai Indians | 4.8 Crore |
| 2011 | Gautam Gambhir | Kolkata Knight Riders | 14.9 Crore |
| 2012 | Ravindra Jadeja | Chennai Super Kings | 12.8 Crore |
| 2013 | Glenn Maxwell | Mumbai Indians | 6.3 Crore |
| 2014 | Yuvraj Singh | Royal Challengers Bangalore | 14 Crore |
| 2015 | Yuvraj Singh | Delhi Daredevils | 16 Crore |
| 2016 | Shane Watson | Royal Challengers Bangalore | 9.5 Crore |
| 2017 | Ben Stokes | Rising Pune Supergiant | 14.5 Crore |
| 2018 | Ben Stokes | Rajasthan Royals | 12.5 Crore |
| 2019 | Jaydev Unadkat | Rajasthan Royals | 8.4 Crore |
| 2019 | Varun Chakravarthy | Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings) | 8.4 Crore |
| 2020 | Pat Cummins | Kolkata Knight Riders | 15.5 Crore |
| 2021 | Chris Morris | Rajasthan Royals | 16.25 Crore |
| 2022 | Ishan Kishan | Mumbai Indians | 15.25 Crore |
| 2023 | Sam Curran | Punjab Kings | 18.5 Crore |
| 2024 | Mitchell Starc | Kolkata Knight Riders | 24.75 Crore |
