Most Expensive Player in the Indian Premier League
The 2025 mega IPL auction has served as a history in cricket. However, many players were sold to the most expensive players, creating a sense of fierce competition to acquire the best players for their teams. This eventually resulted in higher competitive prices, making them the most expensive players of the season. However, here is the list of the most expensive players in IPL history from 2008 to 2025. If you want to know more about the blog, read the blog till the end.
Most Expensive Players in the IPL History
Mahendra Singh Dhoni
Mahendra Singh Dhoni is an Indian professional cricketer who is a right-handed batsman and wicketkeeper. He was the most expensive player of 2008 and was bid for around 9.5 crores. The bid was made by the Chennai Super Kings, for which N. Srinivasan is the IPL owner. This began Dhoni’s iconic journey, giving him success in his entire career.
Kevin Pietersen and Andrew Flintoff
Kevin Pietersen and Andrew Flintoff were the most expensive players in 2009, and they played the entire IPL season. The total bid was made for 9.8 crores, ending with the RCB bidding for Kevin Pietersen and CSK for Andrew Flintoff.
Shane Bond and Kieron Pollard
Kieron Pollard and Shane Bond joined the Kolkata Knight Riders for 4.80 crores. In contrast, West Indies player Kieron Pollard was also bid for the same amount by the Mumbai Indians, who made the best decision ever by winning five IPL matches.
Gautam Gambhir
Gautam Gambhir is the head coach of the Indian Cricket Team. He has played for India in all game formats between 2003 and 2016. In 2011, he emerged as the most expensive player in the IPL, with the highest bid of 14.9 crores from the Kolkata Knight Riders.
Ravindra Jadeja
Ravindra Sinh Anirudhsinh Jadeja is an Indian cricketer representing the national team currently in the ODI and the Test Format. In 2012, he was the most expensive player in the IPL. Chennai Super Kings made the bid for him for 12.8 crores.
Glen Maxwell
In the year 2013, it was Glen Maxwell who took the title away for being the most expensive player of the match. The Mumbai Indians made a total of 5.3 crore investments in him.
Yuvraj Singh
Yuvaraj Singh, another renowned cricketer in cricket history, was sold to the Royal Challengers Bangalore for a considerable amount of 14 crores. Even in the 2015 auction, he was sold for 16 crores to Delhi Daredevils, the highest amount then.
Shane Watson
Shane Watson, an Australian all-rounder, was fetched by the Royal Challengers Bangalore for a massive amount of 9.5 crores. He was considered the best player with his expert batting and fierce bowling techniques.
Ben Stokes
The English all-rounder Ben-Stokes received the title of being the most expensive player in 2017 and 2018. In 2017, he was bought for 14.5 crores by the Rising Pune Supergiants, and in 2018, Rajasthan Royals purchased him for 12.5 crores.
Jaydev Unadkat and Varun Chakravarthy
Jaydev Unadkat and Varun Chakravarthy were the star players of the year 2019 who were bid for an amount of 8.4 crores by the Rajasthan Royals and the Punjab Kings, respectively.
Ishan Kishan
Ishan Kishan and another legendary cricketer were sold to the Mumbai Indians for 15.25 crores, the highest bid for any player.
Chris Moris
After Pat Cummins, Chris Moris’s bid was the highest. The Rajasthan Royals secured him for a bid amount of 16.25 crores.
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Ishaan Kishan
Ishaan Kishan is another of the most expensive players in history, and the Mumbai Indians acquired it for 15.25 crores.
Sam Curran
In 2023, Sam Curran surpassed all the records and won the title of the most expensive player in IPL history. Punjab Kings acquired him for 18.5 crores, making him an asset to the team.
Mitchell Starc
Mitchell Starc is a name that is always remembered in the history of the IPL. He was bid for 24.75 crores and was acquired by the Kolkata Knight Riders.
Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant
Rishabh Pant broke all the records till now and became the most expensive player of the 2025 season, with a bid of 27 crore. Lucknow SuperGiants purchased this player for this vast amount.
Whereas Shreyas Iyer was not so far and joined the Punjab Kings for a Hefty amount of 26.75 crores, which may be lesser than Rishab Pant but was still higher than many other players in history.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the most expensive player in IPL history?
In 2025, Shreyas Iyer and Rishab Pant became the most expensive players in the IPL’s history, fetching 27 crore and 26.75 crore.
How does the IPL auction determine the player’s price?
The player’s price is based on several factors, including the competitive bidding process among the franchises based on demand, performance, and team needs. Factors like records, skills, and availability influence the final bid amount.
Can an uncapped player become the most expensive player?
No, the most expensive players are almost established players with good international records, though there are chances that the uncapped players can fetch a heavy bid.
