IPL's Most Expensive Player Auctions Explained: Sam Curran, Cummins, and the Record Prices
The most expensive IPL auction purchases — Sam Curran's ₹18.5 crore (2023, Punjab Kings), Pat Cummins' ₹20.5 crore (2024, SRH), Mitchell Starc's ₹24.75 crore (2024, KKR, record price), and the factors that drive IPL auction prices: scarcity, team cap space, competing bids, and the overseas player limit.
The IPL auction is cricket's most watched player market event — held annually (retentions announced first; remaining players enter the auction pool). Each franchise has a salary cap (approximately ₹90-110 crore depending on the year); overseas players are limited to 4 per playing XI (8 per squad). The combination of scarce overseas slots, high salary caps, and intense franchise competition creates auction prices far above any other cricket market. The most expensive purchases in IPL history have all set Indian cricket salary benchmarks that influence professional cricket pay globally.
Sam Curran: ₹18.5 Crore (2023 — Punjab Kings)
Sam Curran (England left-arm fast-medium all-rounder) was purchased by Punjab Kings for ₹18.5 crore ($2.3 million approximately) in the IPL 2023 auction — at the time the highest price paid for any player in an IPL auction. The bidding: Punjab Kings and several other franchises competed for Curran; the final ₹18.5 crore was Punjab Kings' final bid, approximately 18x Curran's base price (₹1 crore). Why was Curran so expensive: (1) English all-rounder with good death bowling (105-120km/h cutters and slower balls at the death); (2) Left-arm option (scarce — most IPL pace options are right-arm); (3) Recent ICC performance: Curran won the 2022 T20 World Cup Player of the Tournament award after taking 13 wickets in the tournament; (4) His ability to bat in the lower-middle order (scored 55 in a T20 World Cup match vs Australia from 28 balls).
Mitchell Starc: ₹24.75 Crore (2024 — Kolkata Knight Riders)
Mitchell Starc (Australia left-arm pace) was purchased by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for ₹24.75 crore in the IPL 2024 mini auction — the highest price for any player in IPL auction history at that point. The bidding: KKR and Mumbai Indians both pursued Starc aggressively; the final bid of ₹24.75 crore broke Pat Cummins' record of ₹20.5 crore (set in the same 2024 auction). Starc had previously withdrawn from IPL auctions for several years to manage his workload. His return to the auction pool in 2024 — combined with his 2023 World Cup performance (6 wickets in the 2023 Final vs India) — made him the most coveted overseas player. KKR went on to win IPL 2024 with Starc contributing 17 wickets in the season. (The overall record was subsequently broken at the 2025 mega auction, when Rishabh Pant fetched ₹27 crore from Lucknow Super Giants.)
Why IPL Auction Prices Are So High
IPL auction prices are high for three structural reasons: (1) Artificial scarcity of overseas players: each playing XI can include only 4 overseas players (from typically 8 in the squad). This means the supply of high-value overseas players is capped at 4 per team across 10 teams = 40 slots for all overseas players in the competition simultaneously; only the best 40-50 overseas players available worldwide participate in any season. Demand exceeds supply dramatically — creating price premiums; (2) Salary cap dynamics: with a ₹90-110 crore cap per team, teams sometimes have ₹15-25 crore remaining for one player slot late in auction (having retained 4-5 players at ₹5-10 crore each). Two teams competing for the same player with large remaining budgets creates bidding wars; (3) Reputational value beyond cricket: IPL franchise owners (who are corporations or high-net-worth individuals) recognise that signing a global cricket star (David Warner, Starc, Curran) generates marketing value beyond the cricket — endorsement connections, broadcast interest, and jersey sales — that partially offsets the salary cost.
Frequently asked questions
Who is the most expensive IPL player ever?
Mitchell Starc (Australia) — ₹24.75 crore ($3 million approximately) paid by Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL 2024 mini-auction (December 2023 auction for the 2024 season). Second: Pat Cummins — ₹20.5 crore (Sunrisers Hyderabad, 2024 auction). Third: Sam Curran — ₹18.5 crore (Punjab Kings, 2023 auction). Starc went on to take 17 wickets in IPL 2024; KKR won the title — his performance at least partially justified the price.
How many overseas players can play in an IPL match?
Each IPL team can include up to 4 overseas players in their playing XI (11-player team) per match. Each squad can have up to 8 overseas players (for flexibility across a season), but only 4 can play in any single match. This limit on overseas players is the primary reason IPL auction prices for top international players are so high — only 40 overseas slots exist across the 10-team competition simultaneously.
Why was Sam Curran so expensive at the 2023 IPL auction?
Sam Curran was purchased for ₹18.5 crore by Punjab Kings in the 2023 auction because: (1) He won the 2022 T20 World Cup Player of the Tournament award (13 wickets in the tournament); (2) He is a left-arm pace bowler — a scarce overseas player type; (3) He can bat effectively in the lower-middle order (T20 strike rate 150+); (4) At the time of the auction, he was one of the highest-rated T20I players globally. The price reflected post-World Cup premium and the competitive bidding between multiple franchises. In IPL 2023, Curran played for Punjab Kings but the team did not win the title.