Shreyas Iyer has emerged as the most expensive player so far, bought by KKR for Rs 12.25 crore. But if the trend of the Indian Premier League (IPL) auction last year is any indication, then the bar looks certainly to be set high in the ongoing IPL 2022 Mega Auction taking place on Saturday, 12 Febraury.
The bids on Saturday haven't crossed last year's costliest players yet, with a lot of players yet to be sold. Four of the five players picked in the previous auction went for Rs 14 crore and above, with franchises bidding big on Morris (Rs 16.25 crore), New Zealand fast bowler Kyle Jamieson (Rs 15 crore), Australian white-ball specialist Glenn Maxwell (Rs 14.25 crore) and pace bowler Jhye Richardson (Rs 14 crore).
But 2021 really took the auction to a different level, with the franchise opening their purse string and spending in a way they never had before.
Top 5 Expensive Players in IPL Auction 2021:
Chris Morris: Rs 16.25 crore
Kyle Jamieson: Rs 15 crore
Glenn Maxwell: Rs 14.25 crore
Jhye Richardson: Rs 14 crore
Krishnappa Gowtham: Rs 9.25 crore
It was after a gap of six years that South African all-rounder Chris Morris topped Indian big-hitter Yuvraj Singh's record, when he was bough for Rs 16.25 crore by Rajasthan Royals in 2021. Till then Yuvraj's record of Rs 16 crore - who was bought by Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals) in 2015 - stood for a good six year.
The most Expensive Players Bought in an IPL Auction:
Chris Morris: Rs16.25 crore in 2021 (RR)
Yuvraj Singh: Rs 16.00 crore in 2015 (DC)
Pat Cummins: Rs 15.50 crore in 2020 (KKR)
Kyle Jamieson: Rs 15 crore in 2021 (RCB)
Ben Stokes: Rs 14.50 crore in 2017 (RPS)
Glenn Maxwell: Rs 14.25 crore in 2021(RCB)
Yuvraj Singh: Rs 14.00 crore in 2014 (RCB)
(With inputs from IANS.)
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