Most Expensive Players in IPL Auction History — Every Record from 2008 to 2026
Current all-time most expensive IPL auction buy
The IPL auction is one of the most dramatic events in world sport. Every December, franchise owners battle in a bidding war for the players they believe can win them the title. Price records have been broken repeatedly since the inaugural 2008 auction — from Andrew Flintoff’s ₹9.8 crore in 2009 to Cameron Green’s stunning ₹25.20 crore in 2025. This page is the complete record of every major price milestone in IPL auction history.
Top 20 Most Expensive Players in IPL Auction History
| Rank | Player | Nation | Bought by | Price (₹ Cr) | Auction year | Base price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cameron Green | Australia | KKR | 25.20 | 2026 | 2.00 |
| 2 | Mitchell Starc | Australia | KKR | 24.75 | 2024 | 2.00 |
| 3 | Pat Cummins | Australia | SRH | 20.50 | 2024 | 2.00 |
| 4 | Sam Curran | England | PBKS | 18.50 | 2023 | 2.00 |
| 5 | Ben Stokes | England | CSK | 16.25 | 2023 | 2.00 |
| 6 | Cameron Green | Australia | MI | 17.50 | 2023 | 2.00 |
| 7 | Prashant Veer | India | CSK | 14.20 | 2026 | 0.20 |
| 8 | Kartik Sharma | India | CSK | 14.20 | 2026 | 0.20 |
| 9 | Shreyas Iyer | India | KKR | 12.25 | 2022 | 2.00 |
| 10 | Ishan Kishan | India | MI | 15.25 | 2022 | 2.00 |
| 11 | Glenn Maxwell | Australia | RCB | 14.25 | 2021 | 2.00 |
| 12 | Liam Livingstone | England | PBKS | 11.50 | 2022 | 1.00 |
| 13 | Deepak Chahar | India | CSK | 14.00 | 2022 | 1.00 |
| 14 | Harshal Patel | India | RCB | 10.75 | 2022 | 1.50 |
| 15 | Chris Morris | S Africa | RR | 16.25 | 2021 | 0.75 |
| 16 | Yuvraj Singh | India | BCCI | 16.00 | 2014 | 2.00 |
| 17 | Ravindra Jadeja | India | CSK | 9.00 | 2012 | — |
| 18 | Gautam Gambhir | India | KKR | 11.40 | 2011 | — |
| 19 | Andrew Flintoff | England | CSK | 9.80 | 2009 | — |
| 20 | Mahela Jayawardene | Sri Lanka | MI | 4.00 | 2008 | — |
The Five Most Dramatic IPL Auction Moments in History
Cameron Green — ₹25.20 crore (KKR, 2026)
The Australian all-rounder became the most expensive overseas player in IPL history at the December 2025 auction in Abu Dhabi, edging Mitchell Starc’s ₹24.75 crore record. KKR, desperate for an X-factor player after being beaten in the 2025 IPL semi-final, bid aggressively in a war against Mumbai Indians. Green — who can bat at number 3 or 4 and bowl medium pace — was seen as the all-round package to complete KKR’s lineup. As of April 12, 2026 (4 matches into the season), Green has scored just 41 runs and taken 2 wickets — meaning KKR are currently paying ₹6.30 crore per wicket and ₹0.61 crore per run. The pressure to deliver is immense.
Mitchell Starc — ₹24.75 crore (KKR, 2024)
When KKR smashed the overseas price record to buy Mitchell Starc in December 2023, cricket Twitter imploded. The world’s number one test bowler, bought for a T20 tournament. The story had a fairy-tale ending though — Starc took 17 wickets and played a key role as KKR won the IPL 2024 title, their third championship. His ₹24.75 crore price tag was fully vindicated by a title-winning contribution.
Chris Morris — ₹16.25 crore (RR, 2021)
Chris Morris was bought by Rajasthan Royals for ₹16.25 crore in February 2021 from a base price of just ₹75 lakhs — a 21-fold increase. The South African all-rounder took 18 wickets in the 2021 season, justifying much of the price. This auction moment was significant because it showed that IPL teams would pay extraordinary premiums for genuine all-rounders capable of batting at 6 and bowling in the death.
Yuvraj Singh — ₹16 crore (RCB, 2014)
Before the era of ₹20 crore+ buys, Yuvraj Singh’s ₹16 crore to Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2014 was the most talked-about IPL auction result ever. The World Cup 2011 hero was in fine form post his cancer recovery and was seen as the final piece of RCB’s title-winning puzzle. He scored 376 runs at a strike rate of 168 in 2014 — a decent return but not the title RCB were hoping for.
Sam Curran — ₹18.50 crore (PBKS, 2023)
Sam Curran’s ₹18.50 crore to Punjab Kings in the 2023 mega auction broke all existing records at the time and made the England all-rounder the most expensive player in IPL auction history (until Starc and Green subsequently surpassed him). PBKS were willing to pay anything for an English all-rounder to lead their attack, and a bidding war with multiple franchises drove the price to a level that shocked even veteran auction watchers.
IPL Auction Price Growth Year-wise (2008–2026 Analysis) — How prices have grown
| Year | Record auction price that year | Player | Buyer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | ₹4.00 Cr | Mahela Jayawardene | MI |
| 2009 | ₹9.80 Cr | Andrew Flintoff | CSK |
| 2011 | ₹11.40 Cr | Gautam Gambhir | KKR |
| 2014 | ₹16.00 Cr | Yuvraj Singh | RCB |
| 2021 | ₹16.25 Cr | Chris Morris | RR |
| 2023 | ₹18.50 Cr | Sam Curran | PBKS |
| 2024 | ₹24.75 Cr | Mitchell Starc | KKR |
| 2026 | ₹25.20 Cr | Cameron Green | KKR |
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