The teams are gearing up for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026. The players' auction is set for December 16 in Abu Dhabi, UAE, starting at 2:30 PM. On Tuesday (December 9), the players' auction list was finalized. A total of 350 players will be in this mini-auction from an initial registration of 1,390 cricketers. It's a wait to see which player commands the highest price. But before the auction, it's crucial to know who have been the costliest players in IPL history.
New Records Every Year
IPL is renowned in the cricket world for its glamour, excitement, and big auction bids. Every year, franchises bid big on players they see as potential match-winners. The statistics from 2008 to 2025 reveal not only a rise in player values over time but also new records each year.
Dhoni's Record Bid in 2008
The journey began with Indian legend MS Dhoni in 2008, when he was bought for $1.5 million. It wasn't just a bid; it signaled the dominance Dhoni was set to establish in the IPL over the coming decade. In 2009, Kevin Pietersen and Andrew Flintoff shocked everyone with bids of $1.55 million each.
In 2010, Kieron Pollard and Shane Bond's bids reached $750k each.
Gambhir's Big Bid in 2011
As the league expanded, so did the player prices. In 2011, Gautam Gambhir attracted a substantial bid of over ₹11 crores, becoming a major asset for the Kolkata Knight Riders.
In 2012, Jadeja attracted a $2 million bid while Glenn Maxwell was the most expensive player in the 2013 auction with a bid of $1 million.
Yuvraj's Winning Streak
Huge interest in Yuvraj Singh was evident in 2014 and 2015, with records breaking both years. In 2014, a bid of ₹14 crore, and in 2015, ₹16 crore, were placed on him.
In 2017 and 2018, the high bids for all-rounders like Ben Stokes highlighted the demand for versatile players, with stakes of ₹14.5 crore in 2017 and ₹12.5 crore in 2018.
A Shift in Auction Dynamics from 2020
The auction dynamics shifted notably after 2020, with foreign fast bowlers fetching massive sums. Pat Cummins (₹15.5 crore), Chris Morris (₹16.25 crore), and Sam Curran (₹18.5 crore) exemplified this trend. In 2024 and 2025, this chart hit new heights, with Mitchell Starc making history with a ₹24.75 crore bid in 2024, but it was Rishabh Pant's ₹27 crore record bid in 2025 that underscored the rising brand value of Indian players.
