Rishabh Pant holds the record as the most expensive player in IPL history, bought by Lucknow Super Giants for a staggering ₹27 crore at the IPL 2025 mega auction.
Since the first IPL auction in 2008, franchise spending has multiplied several times over. What started with modest bids now regularly crosses the ₹20 crore mark.
The IPL 2025 mega auction and the 2026 mini auction in Abu Dhabi reshaped the all-time list, with three of the top five most expensive IPL players coming from these two cycles alone.
This article breaks down every record-setting purchase, the stats behind each player’s price tag, why franchises paid what they did, and how these signings have performed on the field.
Top 10 Most Expensive Players In IPL Auction History
Before getting into each player’s profile, here’s the updated list of the top 10 costliest players in IPL history after the 2026 mini auction.
| Rank | Player | Team | Year | Price (INR) | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rishabh Pant | Lucknow Super Giants | 2025 | ₹27.00 Cr | WK-Batter |
| 2 | Shreyas Iyer | Punjab Kings | 2025 | ₹26.75 Cr | Batter |
| 3 | Cameron Green | Kolkata Knight Riders | 2026 | ₹25.20 Cr | All-rounder |
| 4 | Mitchell Starc | Kolkata Knight Riders | 2024 | ₹24.75 Cr | Pacer |
| 5 | Venkatesh Iyer | Kolkata Knight Riders | 2025 | ₹23.75 Cr | All-rounder |
| 6 | Pat Cummins | Sunrisers Hyderabad | 2024 | ₹20.50 Cr | Pacer |
| 7 | Sam Curran | Punjab Kings | 2023 | ₹18.50 Cr | All-rounder |
| 8 | Arshdeep Singh | Punjab Kings | 2025 | ₹18.00 Cr | Pacer |
| 9 | Yuzvendra Chahal | Punjab Kings | 2025 | ₹18.00 Cr | Spinner |
| 10 | Matheesha Pathirana | Kolkata Knight Riders | 2026 | ₹18.00 Cr | Pacer |
A few things stand out immediately. Kolkata Knight Riders feature four times in this top 10, spending more than ₹91 crore on just these four players across two auctions. Punjab Kings also appear four times, reflecting their aggressive strategy of targeting proven performers.
Detailed Breakdown of Each Player
Here is the Brief Overview of Each Expensive Player:
1. Rishabh Pant – ₹27.00 Crore (LSG, IPL 2025 Mega Auction)
When Lucknow Super Giants spent ₹27 crore to sign the explosive wicketkeeper-batter at the IPL 2025 mega auction, it surpassed Mitchell Starc’s previous record of ₹24.75 crore by a full ₹2.25 crore. The bidding war involved multiple franchises, but LSG went all in, banking on Pant’s match-winning ability and captaincy potential.
The numbers back the hype. Across 125 IPL matches before the 2025 season, Pant had scored 3,553 runs at an average of 34.16 and a career strike rate of 147.21, according to mykhel.com. His best season remains IPL 2018, where he amassed 684 runs at a strike rate of 173.60 for Delhi Capitals.
His IPL 2025 campaign for LSG returned 269 runs in 13 innings at a strike rate of 133.16, per newsbytesapp.com. While most of the season was underwhelming, his unbeaten 118 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the final league match showcased exactly why franchises pay a premium for him.
Beyond batting, Pant’s value as a keeper-captain is hard to replicate. He captained Delhi Capitals from 2021 and is one of the few Indian players who can single-handedly shift a game’s momentum in 10 deliveries flat.
2. Shreyas Iyer – ₹26.75 Crore (PBKS, IPL 2025 Mega Auction)
For about 30 minutes during the IPL 2025 mega auction, Shreyas Iyer was the most expensive player in IPL history. Then Pant’s bidding started.
Punjab Kings invested ₹26.75 crore in Iyer, making him the second-costliest IPL player ever. The rationale was clear: Iyer is one of only two captains in IPL history to lead two different franchises to finals. He took Delhi Capitals to the 2020 final and then captained Kolkata Knight Riders to their third title in 2024.
In IPL 2025, Iyer repaid the investment handsomely. He scored 488 runs at a strike rate of 172.43, per Wikipedia, as PBKS qualified for the playoffs for the first time since 2014. They finished top of the table with 19 points and reached the final, losing narrowly to RCB by 6 runs.
Across 133 IPL matches, Iyer has accumulated 3,731 runs at an average of 34.23 with 27 half-centuries, according to mykhel.com. His ability to handle pressure situations, particularly against spin, makes him a franchise anchor.
The only missing piece? A maiden IPL century. His highest score remains 97 not out. But with a career strike rate that jumped to 172.43 in the 2025 season, nobody at PBKS is complaining.
3. Cameron Green – ₹25.20 Crore (KKR, IPL 2026 Mini Auction)
Cameron Green became the most expensive overseas player in IPL history when KKR splashed ₹25.20 crore on the Australian all-rounder at the IPL 2026 mini auction in Abu Dhabi, per ESPNcricinfo.
The bid surpassed fellow Australian Mitchell Starc’s 2024 record of ₹24.75 crore. However, due to IPL rules for overseas players at mini auctions, Green’s actual salary is capped at ₹18 crore, with the remaining amount going toward the BCCI’s player welfare programme, as reported by Sky Sports.
Green missed the entire IPL 2025 season due to a lower-back stress fracture. But his IPL track record speaks volumes. In 29 IPL matches across 2023 (Mumbai Indians) and 2024 (Royal Challengers Bengaluru), he scored 707 runs at a strike rate of 153.7 and picked up 16 wickets, according to advancecricket.com.
His debut IPL season in 2023 was electric. He scored 452 runs at a strike rate of 160.28 for MI, including a maiden IPL century against Sunrisers Hyderabad, per uccricket.live. That kind of batting firepower, combined with the ability to bowl genuine pace, makes Green one of the most complete players in T20 cricket.
4. Mitchell Starc – ₹24.75 Crore (KKR, IPL 2024 Auction)
Mitchell Starc’s ₹24.75 crore deal with KKR in the IPL 2024 auction was the record-breaking purchase that started the modern era of mega bids. Before this, Sam Curran’s ₹18.50 crore was the benchmark.
Starc hadn’t played IPL cricket since 2015, a gap of nearly nine years. That made his price tag all the more audacious. The Aussie left-arm quick was returning on the back of stellar performances in the 2023 ODI World Cup (16 wickets) and the Ashes.
His regular season numbers for KKR in 2024 were middling, to put it politely. He picked up 17 wickets in 14 matches at an economy of 10.61, per ESPNcricinfo. Critics were sharpening their knives.
Then the knockout rounds arrived. Starc delivered 3/22 in the powerplay during Qualifier 1 against SRH, followed by a Player of the Match performance in the final (2/14 in 3 overs), as SRH was bundled out cheaply. That’s the thing about Starc: he saves his best for when the stakes are highest.
Across his entire IPL career (52 matches for RCB, KKR, and DC), Starc has taken 65 wickets at an average of 23.12 and an economy of 8.61, according to the KKR official website.
5. Venkatesh Iyer – ₹23.75 Crore (KKR, IPL 2025 Mega Auction)
From a base price of ₹20 lakh in 2021 to a ₹23.75 crore bid in 2025. That’s a 118x salary jump in four years. Venkatesh Iyer’s trajectory is arguably the most remarkable auction story in IPL history.
KKR released Iyer before the 2025 mega auction and then bought him right back at a massively inflated price. The franchise faced stiff competition from RCB, but they were determined to retain the all-rounder who had become central to their identity, per cricket.one.
Iyer’s breakout came in IPL 2021’s second phase in the UAE. He scored 370 runs at an average of 41 and a strike rate of 129, playing a key role in KKR’s run to the final, according to Wikipedia. His century against Mumbai Indians in 2023, a 51-ball 104, remains one of the most destructive innings of that season.
Across 62 IPL matches, he has scored 1,468 runs with 1 century and 12 half-centuries, per cricketsky.com. He was also named KKR’s vice-captain for IPL 2025.
6. Pat Cummins – ₹20.50 Crore (SRH, IPL 2024 Auction)
Pat Cummins was the first player to breach the ₹20 crore barrier in IPL history when Sunrisers Hyderabad signed him at the IPL 2024 auction. Hours later, Starc’s KKR deal eclipsed it.
SRH didn’t just want Cummins for his pace bowling. They wanted his leadership. The Australian Test captain brought a tactical edge that transformed SRH’s approach in IPL 2024. Under his captaincy, SRH adopted an ultra-aggressive batting philosophy, posting 277/3 against Mumbai Indians, the highest team total in IPL history at that point.
Cummins contributed 19 wickets in the 2024 season and chipped in with handy lower-order runs. SRH made it to the final, where they fell to KKR. Still, the franchise clearly valued the Australian’s influence on team culture.
For IPL 2025, Cummins moved to Delhi Capitals on a retention deal. His overall IPL record spans 54 matches with 55 wickets. While his economy rate of around 8.5 isn’t elite by specialist bowler standards, his ability to deliver in crunch moments and lead a dressing room makes him a premium asset.
7. Sam Curran – ₹18.50 Crore (PBKS, IPL 2023 Auction)
Sam Curran held the IPL auction record for the most expensive player from the 2023 auction until Starc broke it in 2024.
The English all-rounder earned his price tag on the back of a stunning 2022 T20 World Cup, where he was named Player of the Tournament. Punjab Kings saw a player who could bowl at the death, swing the new ball, and hit useful runs in the lower middle order.
However, Curran’s IPL 2023 and 2024 seasons for PBKS didn’t quite match the hype. Injuries and inconsistency meant he couldn’t deliver the match-winning performances that justified the ₹18.50 crore fee on a regular basis.
8. Arshdeep Singh – ₹18.00 Crore (PBKS, IPL 2025 Mega Auction)
Arshdeep Singh’s ₹18 crore deal at the IPL 2025 mega auction made him one of the most expensive Indian bowlers in IPL history.
Punjab Kings had groomed Arshdeep since 2019, and they weren’t about to let him walk. His left-arm pace and death-bowling precision, especially those wide yorkers outside off stump, have become a signature in T20 cricket.
Arshdeep’s rise parallels his growing importance to the Indian national team. He was part of India’s T20 World Cup 2024 winning squad and has established himself as the first-choice death bowler in white-ball cricket for India.
In the IPL, his economy rate at the death has consistently hovered around 8.5-9.0, which is strong by Indian conditions standards. He’s also proven he can bowl in the powerplay, making him a three-phase bowler.
9. Yuzvendra Chahal – ₹18.00 Crore (PBKS, IPL 2025 Mega Auction)
Yuzvendra Chahal’s inclusion at ₹18 crore may surprise some, but the numbers back it up. He is the highest wicket-taker in IPL history with over 200 wickets across his career spanning RCB and Rajasthan Royals.
Punjab Kings targeted Chahal as the centrepiece of their spin attack for the 2025 season. Paired with Shreyas Iyer’s captaincy and Arshdeep’s pace, Chahal gave PBKS a well-rounded bowling unit.
His ability to take wickets in the middle overs, between overs 7 and 15, remains nearly unmatched in the IPL. Batters struggle against his googly and leg-spin variations, particularly on slower surfaces.
In IPL 2025, Chahal played a key role in PBKS’s run to the final. For a spinner who was once available at base price and had a quiet 2023-24, this was a major redemption arc.
10. Matheesha Pathirana – ₹18.00 Crore (KKR, IPL 2026 Mini Auction)
Matheesha Pathirana’s ₹18 crore deal with KKR at the IPL 2026 mini auction rounds out the top 10, per the IPL official website.
The Sri Lankan fast bowler has one of the most unique actions in world cricket. Often compared to Lasith Malinga for his sling-arm delivery stride, Pathirana generates sharp bounce and toe-crushing yorkers at the death.
Previously with Chennai Super Kings, Pathirana was a death-bowling specialist who could produce magic in the final four overs. His slower ball variations and ability to bowl under pressure made him a hot commodity.
KKR now have Pathirana and Cameron Green as their two marquee overseas buys for IPL 2026. That’s a combined spend of ₹43.20 crore on just two players, highlighting KKR’s “go big or go home” approach.
Key Trends From the IPL 2025 and 2026 Auctions
Here are the Key Trades that you should know about:
Indian Players Are Commanding Higher Prices Than Ever
Six of the top 10 most expensive players in IPL history are Indian. That’s a significant shift from earlier years when overseas stars dominated auction headlines.
The IPL 2025 mega auction was the turning point. Rishabh Pant (₹27 crore), Shreyas Iyer (₹26.75 crore), Venkatesh Iyer (₹23.75 crore), Arshdeep Singh (₹18 crore), and Yuzvendra Chahal (₹18 crore) all featured in the top bracket.
The reason is simple: franchises can only field four overseas players per match. An Indian match-winner occupies a domestic slot, freeing up overseas spots for specialists. That scarcity drives up the price of top Indian talent.
KKR’s Spending Spree Is Unprecedented
Kolkata Knight Riders have spent more on individual players in this top 10 list than any other franchise.
Their four entries total ₹91.70 crore: Cameron Green (₹25.20 crore), Mitchell Starc (₹24.75 crore), Venkatesh Iyer (₹23.75 crore), and Matheesha Pathirana (₹18 crore).
They came into the IPL 2026 mini auction with the largest purse of ₹64.30 crore and the fewest players at 12, giving them maximum flexibility, per the Olympics website. They were also the first team to complete their 25-player squad.
All-Rounders Command the Biggest Premiums
Three of the top 10 are all-rounders: Cameron Green, Venkatesh Iyer, and Sam Curran. Players who can contribute with both bat and ball offer squad flexibility that specialists simply cannot match.
Green’s combination of top-order batting at a 153+ strike rate and genuine pace bowling is a rare skillset in T20 cricket. That dual utility is why KKR were willing to pay ₹25.20 crore despite his injury history.
Uncapped Players Are Entering the Crore Club
The IPL 2026 mini auction also produced a new trend: uncapped Indian teenagers fetching massive bids.
Prashant Veer (20 years old) and Kartik Sharma (19 years old) were each bought by Chennai Super Kings for ₹14.20 crore at the 2026 auction, according to ESPNcricinfo. Both entered at a base price of ₹30 lakh, making them the most expensive uncapped players in IPL auction history.
This signals a major shift in franchise strategy. Teams are now willing to invest in potential, not just proven IPL performance.
How IPL Auction Records Have Evolved: 2008 to 2026
The first-ever IPL auction in 2008 saw MS Dhoni go for ₹1.5 crore to Chennai Super Kings. At the time, it felt like a king’s ransom. Today, that amount wouldn’t even cover a fringe domestic player’s base price.
Here’s how the IPL auction record has progressed over the years:
| Year | Player | Team | Price | Record Held |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Gautam Gambhir | KKR | ₹11.04 Cr | 2 years |
| 2013 | Dinesh Karthik | DC | ₹12.50 Cr | 1 year |
| 2014 | Yuvraj Singh | RCB | ₹14.00 Cr | 1 year |
| 2015 | Yuvraj Singh | DC | ₹16.00 Cr | 8 years |
| 2023 | Sam Curran | PBKS | ₹18.50 Cr | 1 year |
| 2024 | Mitchell Starc | KKR | ₹24.75 Cr | <1 year |
| 2025 | Rishabh Pant | LSG | ₹27.00 Cr | Current |
The jump from ₹16 crore (Yuvraj in 2015) to ₹18.50 crore (Curran in 2023) took eight years. The jump from ₹18.50 crore to ₹27 crore took just two. IPL salary inflation is accelerating fast.
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Conclusion: Rishabh Pant Leads The Table of Most Expensive Players in IPL History Currently
The list of most expensive players in IPL history tells the story of a league that has grown from a domestic tournament into the richest cricket competition on the planet.
Rishabh Pant’s ₹27 crore record may not last long, given how quickly auction ceilings are being shattered.
As IPL 2026 kicks off on March 26, all eyes will be on whether Cameron Green, Matheesha Pathirana, and the rest of the top 10 can convert their price tags into performances.
If history is any guide, some will justify every paisa, and others will serve as expensive reminders that cricket remains gloriously unpredictable.
