IPL 2021: Costliest Buy Every Year

While IPL 2021 is around two months away to begin, everyone is now busy for the upcoming IPL auction. In every IPL auction, the costliest player is always one of the major talking points.

The complete schedule of the IPL 2021 is yet to be confirmed, including the starting date and final date. Meanwhile, the IPL 2021 auction will be held on 18th February in Chennai. Currently, everyone is eyeing on this crucial auction as the IPL teams will try to fill up their squad before the new IPL season.

IPL 2021: Costliest Buy Every Year (all the INR values are according to actual value of each IPL auction period)

IPL 2008 – MS Dhoni (INR 6 crore approx)

Mahendra Singh Dhoni or MS Dhoni was the costliest player in the first ever IPL auction. Before the auction, then Indian limited-overs captain had the base price of US$ 400,000. Chennai Super Kings (CSK) put the strong bid for Dhoni and they won that bid for US$ 1.5 million, which was INR 6 crore approx.

It was one of the best successful bids in IPL history as Dhoni has led the CSK team to the successful journey for a long time. He was CSK’s second most run-scorer in that season by scoring 414 runs in 16 matches, while Dhoni-led CSK finished as the runners-up in that tournament. The three-time IPL winners CSK still can’t be imaginable without Dhoni.

IPL 2009 – Andrew Flintoff and Kevin Pietersen (INR 7.55 crore approx for each)

Two English stars Andrew Flintoff and Kevin Pietersen jointly hold the record of costliest players in the IPL 2009 auction. Before that auction, Pietersen had the base value of US$ 1.35 million and Flintoff had the base value of US$950,000 – the highest and second highest base value of that auction. While Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) won the bid of Pietersen, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) won the bid of Flintoff and both had final bidding price of US$ 1.55 million, which was almost INR 7.55 crore.

South Africa hosted the complete IPL 2009. Kevin Pietersen led the RCB team in the beginning of the IPL 2009. But after playing six matches in that tournament, he missed out the later period of that tournament due to international commitment. In that season, he didn’t impress much as he scored 93 runs and took 4 wickets in 6 matches. However, his team ultimately finished as the runners-up in that tournament.

Just like Pietersen, Flintoff was also unavailable in the later stage of the IPL 2009 due to  international commitment. In three matches of that season, Flintoff scored 62 runs and took two wickets.

IPL 2010 – Shane Bond and Kieron Pollard (INR 3.4 crore approx for each)

In the IPL 2010 auction, New Zealand fast bowler Shane Bond and West Indies all-rounder Kieron Pollard were the jointly costliest players in the IPL 2010 auction. While Pollard had the base price of US$200,000 and Bond had the base price of US$100,000, Mumbai Indians (MI) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) respectively won their bid for US$750,000 each (though bid went higher in both those cases in the tiebreakers, the players couldn’t be capped over US$ 750,000 as per IPL auction rules as the remaining value moved to IPL kitty), which was almost INR 3.4 crore for each.

KKR pacer Bond took 9 wickets in 8 matches in that season. It was his only IPL season as a player. Meanwhile, Pollard scored 273 runs in 14 matches by maintaining the highest strike-rate of the season where batsmen scored at least 200 runs (185.71). He also took 15 wickets in that season as Mumbai Indians finished as the runners-up. Now, Pollard is known as one of the legendary cricketers for Mumbai Indians, who is still one of the crucial players for this franchise.

IPL 2011 – Gautam Gambhir (INR 11.04 crore approx)

Gautam Gambhir was the costliest player in the IPL 2011 auction. Starting the auction with the base price of US$ 200,000, Gambhir finally moved to Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), who won that bid for US$ 2,400,000, which was the value of almost INR 11.04 crore.

From that season, Gautam Gambhir led the KKR side. Gambhir was the second most run-scorer for his team in that IPL season as the left-handed batsman scored 378 runs in 15 innings. Soon, he became one of the best captains in IPL history as he led KKR to win the IPL 2012 and IPL 2014. During his service for KKR between 2011 and 2017, the franchise was one of the top teams in the IPL.

IPL 2012 – Ravindra Jadeja (INR 9.72 crore approx)

Indian all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja was the costliest player during the IPL 2012 auction. Ahead of that auction, Jadeja had the base price of US$ 100,000 and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) bought him in that auction for US$ 2 million. At that time, that winning bid value was almost INR 9.72 crore.

In that IPL 2012, while CSK finished as the runners-up, Ravindra Jadeja scored 191 runs and also took 12 wickets in 19 matches of that season. With the time progress, Jadeja has become one of the integral parts of CSK, who is still maintaining same image for this same franchise.

IPL 2013 – Glenn Maxwell (INR 5.3 crore approx)

In the IPL 2013 auction, Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell was the costliest player. During that IPL auction, Maxwell had the base price of US$200,000. Mumbai Indians (MI) finally won that bid for US$ 1 million, which had the value of almost INR 5.3 crore.

Maxwell played only three matches in that IPL season where he scored 36 runs and didn’t take any wicket. Maxwell has faced many ups and downs in IPL career, but many people mostly put high faith on him ahead of an IPL season.

IPL 2014 – Yuvraj Singh (INR 14 crore)

Indian all-rounder Yuvraj Singh was the costliest player in the IPL 2014 auction. At the beginning of that IPL auction, Yuvraj had the base price of INR 2 crore. After a big fight, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) won the bid for the Indian all-rounder for whopping INR 14 crore.

In his IPL career, Yuvraj Singh had mixed experiences as he faced both highs and lows. In the IPL 2014, RCB star Yuvraj scored 376 runs in 14 matches. Apart from his left-hand batting, the left-arm spinner Yuvraj also bagged 5 wickets in that IPL season.

IPL 2015 – Yuvraj Singh (INR 16 crore)

Once again, Indian all-rounder Yuvraj Singh became the costliest player in the IPL 2015 auction. Like the previous auction, Yuvraj once again started the eighth season of the IPL auction for INR 2 crore. Finally, Delhi Daredevils (DD) put the winning bid for his in that auction which was INR 16 crore.

But his IPL 2015 performance was not much impressive like his previous IPL season. Serving for Delhi Daredevils in that season, Yuvraj scored 248 runs in 14 matches and took only one wicket.

IPL 2016 – Shane Watson (INR 9.5 crore)

Australian all-rounder Shane Watson was the costliest player in the IPL 2016 auction. The top international cricketer had the base price of INR 2 crore ahead of that auction. Ultimately, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) spent INR 9.5 crore to secure him in the squad.

Shane Watson was always a big name in IPL history. In the IPL 2016, Watson didn’t enjoy with the bat as he scored only 179 runs in 16 matches. But he finished as the third most wicket-taker as the right-arm pacer took 20 wickets in that season, where RCB finished as the runners-up.

IPL 2017 – Ben Stokes (INR 14.50 crore)

England all-rounder Ben Stokes was the costliest player in the IPL 2017 auction. Before that auction, the English all-rounder Stokes had the base price of INR 2 crore. In that IPL auction, now-defunct Rising Pune Supergiants (RPS) had won that bid for INR 14.50 crore.

While it was the first IPL experience for Ben Stokes, he put a huge impact in that season. While RPS finished as the runners-up, Stokes was the Most Valuable Player of that season for scoring 316 runs and also taking 12 wickets in 12 matches.

IPL 2018 – Ben Stokes (INR 12.50 crore)

While the English all-rounder Ben Stokes won the Most Valuable Player award at the end of the IPL 2017 edition, there was no shocker that he finished the IPL 2018 auction as the costliest player. Stokes started that fresh IPL auction for INR 2 crore, and the comeback side Rajasthan Royals finally secured him for INR 12.50 crore.

However, it was not a shining season for Ben Stokes. Serving for Rajasthan Royals, Stokes scored 196 runs and took 8 wickets in 13 matches of that IPL 2018 season.

IPL 2019 – Jaydev Unadkat and Varun Chakravarthy (INR 8.4 crore)

After a long time, we experienced joint costliest players in the IPL 2019 auction as the Indian cricketers Jaydev Unadkat and Varun Chakravarthy were those players. At the beginning of that IPL auction, the left-arm pacer Unadkat had the base price of INR 1.5 crore and the new-comer all-rounder Varun Chakravarthy had the base price of INR 20 lakh. During that IPL auction, Rajasthan Royals (RR) won the bid for Unadkat and Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) bought Varun and both had winning bids of INR 8.4 crore.

However, both players had the disappointing season in the IPL 2019. While Rajasthan Royals pacer Unadkat got 10 wickets in 11 matches in the IPL 2019, Varun picked up only wicket in his only match of that season before getting ruled out from that tournament due to finger injury.

IPL 2020 – Pat Cummins (INR 15.50 crore)

Australian right-arm fast bowler Pat Cummins was the costliest player in the IPL 2020 auction. Without any doubt, Cummins started that IPL auction with the base price of INR 2 crore. His former IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) put the strongest bid for him as it reach to INR 15.50 crore.

KKR pacer Pat Cummins managed to pick up 12 wickets in 14 matches during the delayed IPL 2020, which was completely played in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). He also scored 146 runs in that tournament, including one half-century.