From Yuvraj Singh to Pat Cummins: Most expensive buys in IPL auctions

The IPL 2022 mega auction will take place on February 12 and 13 in Bengaluru. It is one of the most anticipated events of the year, with 590 cricketers set to go under the hammer. What makes this year’s auction more fascinating than prior years is the availability of some of the biggest names, and there will undoubtedly be some fierce bidding for a couple of these stars.

IPL auctions have produced a few surprises throughout the years. Last year, Rajasthan Royals spent a lot of money to get Chris Morris, while Royal Challengers Bangalore spent a lot of money to get Kiwi pacer Kyle Jamieson.

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Here are five of the biggest winning bids at IPL auctions:

Chris Morris (Rajasthan Royals-Rs 16.25 crore-2021)

The Rajasthan Royals paid Rs 16.25 crore for the South African all-rounder, breaking the Delhi Capitals’ record acquisition of Yuvraj Singh in 2015. In 2021, the lanky cricketer failed to live up to expectations, making a total of 67 runs in 11 games. He did manage to capture 15 wickets, but he leaked runs at a 9.17 economy rate.

The 34-year-old, who announced his retirement from all forms of cricket last month, will not be part of the IPL 2022 auction.

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Yuvraj Singh (Delhi Capitals-Rs 16 crore-2015)

Yuvraj Singh has been one of the game’s most powerful batsmen. The left-handed batter’s style and charisma made him a watchable batsman. Yuvraj has been highly sought for in IPL auctions as well, and in 2015, Delhi Capitals went all out and paid a hefty Rs 16 crore for his services, which remained the biggest winning price until RR grabbed Morris.

Pat Cummins (Kolkata Knight Riders-Rs 15.50 crore-2020)

The Australian pacer is one of the finest in his industry, and KKR recognised this when they opted to relax their financial strings to hire him. The Kolkata franchise paid a hefty Rs 15.50 crore in 2021 for the current Australian Test skipper but elected not to keep him.

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The decision not to keep Cummins might be attributed to his poor performance in the previous two IPL seasons. He grabbed 12 wickets from 14 matches in the IPL 2020, with an economy rate of 7.86. Cummins played seven games last year and took nine wickets at an economy rate of 8.83.

Kyle Jamieson (Royal Challengers Bangalore-Rs 15 crore-2021)

RCB took a bold approach in the IPL 2021 auction, spending upwards of Rs 14 million for two players. Kyle Jamieson was their most costly acquisition. The New Zealand all-rounder has acquired for Rs 15 crore, while Glenn Maxwell was acquired for Rs 14.25 crore by RCB.

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While Maxwell was retained by the Royal Challengers Bangalore ahead of the IPL 2022 auction, Jamieson was not. The New Zealander’s dismal performance last season might be to blame. Jamieson scored 65 runs in nine matches, with an average of 16.25 and a strike rate of 118.18. He only took nine wickets and was outscored for runs, with an economy rate of 9.60.

Ben Stokes (Rising Pune Supergiant-Rs 14.50 crore-2017)

Stokes is regarded as one of the finest all-rounders in the world, and it is no wonder that he is one of the most sought-after players in IPL auctions. RPS spent a lot of money on the England player, and he repaid them with some excellent performances in 2017.

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Stokes not only scored 316 runs in 12 games with a strike rate of 142.98, but he also grabbed 12 wickets at an economy rate of 7.18. It came as no surprise when the Rajasthan Royals paid Rs 12.5 crore for his services in 2018. Stokes, on the other hand, was not retained by RR and will not be part of the IPL super auction 2022 after opting out.