List of the most expensive players each year in IPL history

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List of the most expensive players each year in IPL history: The IPL auction sets new records every year, and player prices have been consistently rising. After Rishabh Pant fetched ₹27 crore in 2025, the question now is whether the ₹30 crore mark will be breached in IPL 2026? To answer this question, it's essential to look at who has been the most expensive player each year since 2008. Let's take a look at the most expensive purchases in the auction, season by season:

List of Highest Paid Players in the IPL Auction (Year-wise)

Season	Player (Team) - Price (₹ Crore)
2008	MS Dhoni (CSK) - 9.5 Crore
2009	Kevin Pietersen (RCB) and Andrew Flintoff (CSK) - 9.8 Crore
2010	Shane Bond (KKR) and Kieron Pollard (MI) - 4.8 Crore
2011	Gautam Gambhir (KKR) - 14.9 Crore
2012	Ravindra Jadeja (CSK) - 12.8 Crore
2013	Glenn Maxwell (MI) - 6.3 Crore
2014	Yuvraj Singh (RCB) - 14 Crore
2015	Yuvraj Singh (DD) - 16 Crore
2016	Shane Watson (RCB) - 9.5 Crore
2017	Ben Stokes (RPS) - 14.5 Crore
2018	Ben Stokes (RR) - 12.5 Crore
2019	Jaydev Unadkat (RR) and Varun Chakravarthy (KXIP) - 8.4 Crore
2020	Pat Cummins (KKR) - 15.5 crore
2021	Chris Morris (RR) - 16.25 crore
2022	Ishan Kishan (MI) - 15.25 crore
2023	Sam Curran (PBKS) - 18.5 crore
2024	Mitchell Starc (KKR) - 24.75 crore
2025	Rishabh Pant (LSG) - 27 crore
2026	?

Complete List: IPL's Costliest Player Each Season

2008: MS Dhoni (CSK), ₹9.5 crore

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In 2008, MS Dhoni was the most expensive player in the IPL: The first season and the first big bid. Chennai Super Kings' acquisition of Dhoni for ₹9.5 crore signaled that franchises would be willing to spend big on big names in this new era. This marked the beginning of the tradition of auctioning marquee players in the IPL. However, Dhoni never went back into the auction pool after this; he was retained by his team every time.

2009: Kevin Pietersen (RCB), Andrew Flintoff (CSK), ₹9.8 crore

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In 2009, Kevin Pietersen was the most expensive player in the IPL: In the second season, money flowed freely for English superstars. The legendary Kevin Pietersen and Flintoff were both bought for ₹9.8 crore each, a significant sum in the early days of the IPL. Pietersen was known for his powerful hitting, while Flintoff was considered one of the best all-rounders in the world at the time.

2010: Shane Bond (KKR), Kieron Pollard (MI), ₹4.8 crore

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In 2010, Shane Bond and Kieron Pollard were the most expensive players in the IPL: Due to a lower purse limit this year, the bidding was relatively subdued, but both Bond and Pollard proved to be game-changers for their respective teams. Pollard's explosive innings propelled Mumbai to the final, but the team ultimately lost.

Also Read: Virat Kohli 2025 Performance: A Farewell to Tests, ODI Dominance, and IPL Trophy

2011: Gautam Gambhir (KKR), 14.9 crore

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In 2011, Gautam Gambhir was the most expensive player in the IPL: The first major breakthrough in IPL history. Gambhir was bought for 14.9 crore and later led Kolkata Knight Riders to two titles. This auction is considered the beginning of a new era of prices in the IPL. For the first time, the 10 crore mark was crossed.

2012: Ravindra Jadeja (CSK), 12.8 crore

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In 2012, Ravindra Jadeja was the most expensive player in the IPL: Chennai Super Kings spent 12.8 crore on all-rounder Jadeja. This year highlighted the growing importance of all-rounders. Jadeja remained an integral part of CSK for 13 seasons and helped the team win several titles.

Also Read: Sanju Samson vs Shubman Gill: Who Deserves the Spot?, The T20I Opening Debate

2013: Glenn Maxwell (MI), 6.3 crore

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In 2013, Glenn Maxwell was the most expensive player in the IPL: Maxwell, known as "The Big Show," was bought by Mumbai. At the time, Maxwell was considered one of the big hitters in T20 cricket. However, he couldn't perform up to expectations. Despite this, the Mumbai team managed to win the title.

2014: Yuvraj Singh (RCB), ₹14 crore

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In 2014, Yuvraj Singh was the most expensive player in the IPL: Yuvraj made a comeback to cricket after recovering from cancer and made a big impact. The effect of his name was evident. Royal Challengers Bangalore spent ₹14 crore on Yuvraj. However, Yuvraj's performance was not particularly impressive. RCB released him after the season.

2015: Yuvraj Singh (DD), ₹16 crore

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In 2015, Yuvraj Singh was the most expensive player in the IPL: For the second consecutive year, Yuvraj was the most expensive player, with the price reaching ₹16 crore. This was an auction record at the time. Delhi placed their trust in Yuvraj, but he couldn't do anything special for Delhi either.

2016: Shane Watson (RCB), ₹9.5 crore

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In 2016, Shane Watson was the most expensive player in the IPL: RCB took a gamble on Watson, and he proved to be a useful player for the team, not in batting, but in bowling. Watson scored 179 runs but took 20 wickets. However, RCB lost faith in Watson and released him before the next season.

2017: Ben Stokes (RPS), ₹14.5 crore

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Again in 2017, Ben Stokes was the most expensive player in the IPL: Stokes' arrival further increased the value of foreign all-rounders. This bid permanently raised the IPL value of English players. Rising Pune Supergiants showed faith in Stokes and placed a huge bid. Stokes had a fantastic IPL 2017 season, scoring 316 runs and taking 12 wickets. This was Stokes' first IPL season.

2018: Ben Stokes (RR), ₹12.5 crore

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In 2018, Ben Stokes was the most expensive player in the IPL: Rajasthan placed their trust in Stokes. However, the price in the auction was slightly lower than the previous year. Stokes' performance in Rajasthan was not particularly impressive, and he also struggled with injuries.

2019: Jaydev Unadkat (RR), Varun Chakravarthy (PBKS), ₹8.4 crore

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In 2019, Jaydev Unadkat and Varun Chakravarthy were the most expensive players in the IPL: The franchises placed equally high bids on two Indian players, a medium-pacer and a mystery spinner. Unadkat had performed well in domestic cricket at the time. Varun's status as a mystery spinner led to the high bid for him.

2020: Pat Cummins (KKR), ₹15.5 crore

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In 2020, Pat Cummins was the most expensive player in the IPL: From 2020 onwards, the demand for fast bowlers increased in the franchises. This trend further intensified later. In 2020, Cummins was bought by KKR at a record price. Cummins also delivered a brilliant performance.

2021: Chris Morris (RR), ₹16.25 crore

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In 2021, Chris Morris was the most expensive player in the IPL: Morris broke Yuvraj's record. All-rounders always fetch high prices, and Morris proved this. However, he could not perform as expected for Rajasthan. This proved to be Morris's last IPL season.

2022: Ishan Kishan (MI), ₹15.25 crore

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In 2022, Ishan Kishan was the most expensive player in the IPL: A huge bid was placed for an Indian wicketkeeper-batsman. Ishan was a hot property at the time and became the most expensive player. The franchise showed faith in Ishan's ability to hit sixes, and he proved them right.

2023: Sam Curran (PBKS), ₹18.5 crore

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In 2023, Sam Curran was the most expensive player in the IPL: Sam Curran was sold at a historic price. The Punjab team showed faith in the English all-rounder. He was part of England's T20 World Cup-winning team in 2022 and was also the Player of the Tournament. However, his performance in the IPL was disappointing. He was also given the captaincy.

2024: Mitchell Starc (KKR), ₹24.75 crore

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In 2024, Mitchell Starc was the most expensive player in the IPL: Starc fetched a super record bid in IPL history. This was the highest amount ever bid in an auction until then. The ₹20 crore barrier was crossed for the first time. Starc justified his selection, as KKR won the IPL title in 2024. Starc was the Player of the Match in both the Qualifier and the Final.

2025: Rishabh Pant (LSG), ₹27 crore

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In 2025, Rishabh Pant was the most expensive player in the IPL: Lucknow Super Giants created history with Pant's signing. For the first time in the IPL, a player's price crossed the ₹25 crore mark, reaching a staggering ₹27 crore. He is now the most expensive player in IPL history.

Also Read: Sanju Samson vs Shubman Gill: Who Deserves the Spot?, The T20I Opening Debate

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