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IPL Auction History

“The complete financial history of the Indian Premier League auction — every major price record, franchise strategy shift, record-breaking bid and notable unsold player from the inaugural 2008 auction through to the December 2025 auction that set up IPL 2026.

IPL Auction History is organised by year, with each annual auction page covering: the overall auction purse per franchise, the most expensive player sold and the bidding war that drove the price, the most expensive Indian player, the highest-priced uncapped domestic player, notable unsold players who failed to attract a bid, and how each franchise spent their budget.

The evolution of IPL prices tells a fascinating economic story. The record auction price has grown from ₹4 crore in 2008 to ₹25.20 crore in 2026 — a 530% increase across 18 auction cycles. We document every step of this price inflation with analysis of why certain player types became more or less valuable across different IPL eras.

We also track value-for-money retrospectively — which expensive buys delivered returns, and which of cricket’s most high-profile auction disasters cost franchises both money and trophies. IPL auction strategy is as fascinating as the cricket itself.”

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