The inaugural season of the Indian Premier League kick-started in 2008. It has been fifteen editions since then and fans have witnessed some exhilarating action on the cricket field. The player auction has been an integral part of the lucrative T20 tournament since its inception and has provided opportunities for franchises to revamp their squads.&nbsp;

Over the years, many world-class cricketers have featured at the<a href="https://www.crictracker.com/tag/ipl-auction/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> IPL auction</a> and franchises have broken banks to sign them. Some of these cricketers happened to deliver power-packed performances and justified every penny that was put on them, while there we a few who could not live up to their price tag.

Here is the Best XI of the costliest players at the IPL auctions

<a href="https://www.crictracker.com/cricket-news/ishan-kishan-opens-up-on-mumbai-indians-role-in-his-evolution-as-batter/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ishan Kishan</a> was quite stunning in the 13th edition of the lucrative T20 tournament and smashed 516 runs in 14 matches at a strike rate of 145.76. His batting exploits were instrumental in Mumbai Indians clinching their fifth IPL title. The southpaw did a decent job in the following season, scoring 241 runs in 10 games at a strike rate of 133.88.

Courtesy of his performances, Kishan became an integral part of the Mumbai set-up. Also, the southpaw is a safe gloveman, which added his value to the side. Thus, when the Indian batter went under the hammer at the 2022 mega auction, MI left no stone unturned to sign him and spent a staggering sum of INR 15.25 crore to rope him in.

Kishan fared well, scoring 418 runs in 14 matches at a strike rate of 120.11. The wicketkeeper-batter, who is known for his fearless brand of cricket, also showed his ability to steady the ship when the team was in trouble. The Patna-born would be itching to stamp his authority in the upcoming season.

<a href="https://www.crictracker.com/cricket-news/ind-vs-sl-gautam-gambhir-advises-kl-rahul-to-make-the-most-of-odi-series-vs-sri-lanka/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">KL Rahul</a> was sensational in the 2016 IPL, scoring 397 runs in 14 matches for Royal Challengers Bangalore at a strike rate of 146.49. Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings) liked what they saw in the ace batter and went all guns blazing to pick him at the IPL 2018 auction. They spent a hefty sum of INR 11 crore to sign the flamboyant batter.

Punjab’s investment reaped dividends as Rahul was prolific with the bat and plundered 659 runs in 14 games at a stunning strike rate of 158.41. Post his stellar season, the 30-year-old continued piling on runs and has now become a run machine in the Indian Premier League. He has played a total of 109 matches and amassed 3889 runs at a strike rate of 136.22.

The ace batter’s association with the Punjab franchise ended after the 2021 season. He is presently part of Lucknow Super Giants and fetches INR 17 crore per edition for his services. Rahul put up a show with the bat for LSG last season, scoring 616 runs in 15 matches at a strike rate of 135.38.

<a href="https://www.crictracker.com/shreyas-iyer-is-very-talented-but-needs-to-sort-his-problem-against-short-balls-scott-styris/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shreyas Iyer</a> has been a run-bank in the cash-rich league. The 28-year-old has featured in 101 matches and notched up 2776 runs at a strike rate of 125.38. He has been a consistent performer in the international arena too and scored 1043 runs in 49 T20Is at a strike rate of 135.98.

Kolkata Knight Riders went into a bidding war with Delhi Capitals and Gujarat Titans at the 2022 mega auction to sign Iyer and eventually grabbed him at INR 12.25 crore. The Indian batter had established his captaincy credentials in the IPL arena, leading Delhi Capitals to the playoffs in the 2019 and 2020 seasons, and thus KKR handed him the reins of the side.&nbsp;

However, Iyer failed to recreate the same magic for his new franchise and KKR finished the league stage at the seventh position with six wins in 14 games. Nevertheless, the Mumbai-born was brilliant with the bat and was the leading run-getter of his team, aggregating 401 runs in 14 games at a strike rate of 134.56.

<a href="https://www.crictracker.com/he-made-those-runs-before-i-beat-him-up-yuvraj-singh-congratulates-shubhman-gill-in-his-trademark-style/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Yuvraj Singh</a> was a giant of a player in the white-ball circuit. The southpaw amassed 8701 runs in 304 ODIs at a strike rate of 87.67 and bagged 111 wickets at an economy of 5.10. In the T20Is, he hammered 1177 runs in 58 matches at a strike rate of 136.38 and picked up 28 scalps for the Men in Blue.

A player of Yuvraj’s caliber is an asset to a side and thus, Royal Challengers Bangalore went hammer and tongs to pick him at the IPL 2014 auction, signing him for INR 14 crore. He did a decent job and scored 376 runs in 14 games at a strike rate of 135.25. However, RCB decided against reinvesting in the Chandigarh-born for the following season.

When Yuvraj entered the IPL 2015 auction, Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals) went all guns blazing to acquire him and spent an insane sum of INR 16 crore to rope him in. However, the former Indian cricketer was nowhere close to his best and could only score 248 runs in 14 matches at a strike rate of 118.09.&nbsp;Overall, the legendary cricketer made 132 appearances in IPL and amassed 2750 runs at a strike rate of 129.72. On the bowling front, he took 36 wickets at an economy of 7.44.

<a href="https://www.crictracker.com/my-commitment-outside-of-any-international-cricket-will-be-based-around-our-schedule-ben-stokes/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ben Stokes</a> is one of the finest all-rounders in world cricket at the moment. The 31-year-old has been a match-winner with both bat and ball and has left the world in awe with his spectacular performances. He has scored 585 runs in 43 T20Is at a strike rate of 128.00 and bagged 26 wickets for England.&nbsp;

Whenever the ace all-rounder has entered the IPL auction, franchises have gone into a bidding war to sign him. Stokes first went under the hammer at the 2017 auction and Rising Pune Supergiants acquired him for an eye-pooping sum of INR 14.5 crore. He was again up for grabs at the IPL 2018 auction and it was Rajasthan Royals that picked him at a gargantuan sum of INR 12.5 crore.

When Stokes arrived at the recently concluded IPL 2023 auction, Chennai Super Kings broke their bank to procure him and spent a staggering sum of INR 16.5 crore for the swashbuckling cricketer. The Christchurch-born has been brilliant in the IPL, scoring 920 runs in 43 games at a strike rate of 134.50 and bagging 28 scalps. The Chennai management would hope the England batter brings his A-game into play in the upcoming season.

<a href="https://www.crictracker.com/cricket-news/dinesh-karthik-names-his-top-three-indian-performers-across-all-formats-from-2022/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dinesh Karthik</a> set the 2013 season of the cash-rich league on fire with his blistering performances. He featured in 19 matches for Mumbai Indians and scored 510 runs at a strike rate of 124.08. Witnessing the Indian international’s batting heroics, Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals) bought him for the seventh IPL edition at a staggering amount of INR 12.5 crore.

The wicketkeeper batter did a decent job, scoring 325 runs in 14 games at a strike rate of 125.96. Karthik again fetched big bucks at the IPL 2015 auction when Royal Challengers Bangalore grabbed him at a hefty sum of INR 10.50 crore.

Over the years, Karthik has been one of the consistent performers in the lucrative T20 tournament. He has featured in 229 matches and accumulated 4376 runs at a strike rate of 132.65. The wicketkeeper-batter is presently associated with RCB as the franchise retained him after his stellar showing in the 2022 season. He lighted the 15th IPL edition with his incredible performances, hammering 330 runs in 16 matches at a strike rate of 183.33.

<a href="https://www.crictracker.com/cricket-news/ipl-2023-auction-sam-curran-to-follow-ipl-auction-optimistically-on-tv/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sam Curran</a> has been a bankable name in the T20 circuit. The ace all-rounder has featured in 145 games in the shortest format and bagged 149 wickets at an economy of 8.43. On the batting front, he has scored 1731 runs at a strike rate of 135.65. The southpaw has been phenomenal for England as well, taking 41 wickets in 35 T20Is and scoring 158 runs at a strike rate of 130.57.

Curran’s stature in the international arena has grown leaps and bounds of late. He has shown his ability to bowl in any phase of the game and has been Jos Buttler’s go-to man at the death. The left-arm pacer wreaked havoc with the ball in the T20 World Cup 2022, picking up 13 wickets in matches at an economy of 6.52. The England pacer was adjudged the Player of the Tournament for his spectacular bowling displays.

Given Curran's rich vein of form, franchises went into a bidding war at the IPL 2023 auction to add him to their arsenal. In the end, Punjab Kings splurged an insane sum of INR 18.5 crore to sign the 24-year-old, making him the most expensive player in the history of the cash-rich league.

<a href="https://www.crictracker.com/cricket-news/the-secret-behind-rashid-khans-success-is-his-tremendous-hard-work-asghar-afghan/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rashid Khan</a> caught a lot of eyeballs with his magnificent performances in the 10th edition of the lucrative T20 tournament. He played 14 games for Sunrisers Hyderabad and bagged 17 scalps at an economy of 6.62. Post the leg-spinner’s superb showings, SRH bought him at INR 9 crore at the 2018 player auction.

The ace spinner has weaved his magic in each and every edition of the Indian Premier League and has picked up 112 wickets in 92 games at an economy of 6.38. Besides Rashid’s bowling prowess, he has been more than handy with the bat and smashed 313 runs at a strike rate of 151.94.

The 24-year-old has been marvellous in the international arena too. Rashid has bamboozled batters with his variations and bagged 122 wickets in 74 T20Is at an economy of 6.25. Also, he has smashed 328 runs for Afghanistan. The Nangarhar-born is one of the best spinners in the T20 circuit at the moment and would look to build on his legacy in the years to come.

<a href="https://www.crictracker.com/cricket-news/pat-cummins-turns-down-million-dollar-offer-by-indian-leagues-for-australia-duty/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pat Cummins</a> has been a proven performer for Australia across formats. Test cricket has been his happy hunting ground, where he has bagged 210 wickets in 46 matches at an average of 21.29. The 29-year-old has fared well in the T20Is too and picked up 55 wickets in 50 games at an economy of 7.37. Further, he has played crucial knocks with the bat slotting in at lower down the order.

Cummins, with his ability to contribute in both departments, is an asset to any side. Therefore, Kolkata Knight Riders went bonkers to sign the Australian cricketer at IPL 2020 auction and finally clasped him at a whopping sum of INR 15.5 crore.

However, the bowling all-rounder was not able to justify his price tag in the 13th IPL edition. He could manage only 12 wickets in 14 matches at an economy of 7.86 and scored 146 runs at a strike rate of 128.07. Overall, Cummins has been excellent in the lucrative T20 tournament, picking up 45 scalps in 42 matches and hammering 379 runs at a strike rate of 152.21.

<a href="https://www.crictracker.com/i-could-have-made-comeback-2-3-weeks-ago-if-i-wanted-deepak-chahar/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Deepak Chahar</a> is one of the finest swing bowlers in the Indian cricketing circles. He has been a tone-setter with the new ball, providing his side with early breakthroughs. The 30-year-old has featured in 24 T20Is and bagged 29 wickets at an economy of 8.17. Also, he has been a vital contributor with the bat and scored 53 runs at a strike rate of 203.84.

Chahar has displayed his bowling might in the IPL arena time and time again. He has bagged 59 wickets in 63 matches at an economy of 7.80. On the bowling front, the Agra-born has smashed 79 runs at a strike rate of 138.60.

The 30-year-old has been an integral part of Chennai Super Kings’ bowling set-up since 2018. Thus, the team management left no stone unturned to sign Chahar at the 2022 mega auction and acquired his services at INR 14 crore. However, the investment could not bear fruit in the 16th IPL edition as the ace pacer was ruled out of the tournament due to a back injury.

<a href="https://www.crictracker.com/i-will-continue-to-put-myself-in-those-situations-harshal-patel-on-delivering-well-in-death-overs/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Harshal Patel</a> hogged the limelight with his breathtaking performances in the 14th edition of the Indian Premier League. He was the leading wicket-taker of the competition, with 32 scalps to his name in 15 matches for Royal Challengers Bangalore, and that too at an economy of 8.14, which is brilliant considering he bowled a lot the fag end of the innings.

Due to Harshal’s remarkable bowling displays, RCB went hammer and tongs to sign the ace pacer at the 2022 mega auction and ultimately grabbed him for INR 10.75 crore. He was outstanding with the ball in the 15th IPL edition and took 19 wickets in 15 matches at an economy of 7.66.

However, Harshal has not been able to thrive in the international arena so far. Though the Indian pacer has picked up 27 wickets in 24 T20Is, he has conceded runs at an alarming rate of 9.13. He would look to make amends in the upcoming T20I assignments.

The inaugural season of the Indian Premier League kick-started in 2008. It has been fifteen editions since then and fans have witnessed some exhilarating action on the cricket field. The player auction has been an integral part of the lucrative T20 tournament since its inception and has provided opportunities for franchises to revamp their squads.&nbsp;
Over the years, many world-class cricketers have featured at the<a href="https://www.crictracker.com/tag/ipl-auction/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> IPL auction</a> and franchises have broken banks to sign them. Some of these cricketers happened to deliver power-packed performances and justified every penny that was put on them, while there we a few who could not live up to their price tag.
<h3>Here is the Best XI of the costliest players at the IPL auctions</h3>
<h3>1. Ishan Kishan</h3>
<amp-img src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/featureimage/Ishan-Kishan-and-Rohit-Sharma-1.jpg" alt width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img>
<a href="https://www.crictracker.com/cricket-news/ishan-kishan-opens-up-on-mumbai-indians-role-in-his-evolution-as-batter/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ishan Kishan</a> was quite stunning in the 13th edition of the lucrative T20 tournament and smashed 516 runs in 14 matches at a strike rate of 145.76. His batting exploits were instrumental in Mumbai Indians clinching their fifth IPL title. The southpaw did a decent job in the following season, scoring 241 runs in 10 games at a strike rate of 133.88.
Courtesy of his performances, Kishan became an integral part of the Mumbai set-up. Also, the southpaw is a safe gloveman, which added his value to the side. Thus, when the Indian batter went under the hammer at the 2022 mega auction, MI left no stone unturned to sign him and spent a staggering sum of INR 15.25 crore to rope him in.
Kishan fared well, scoring 418 runs in 14 matches at a strike rate of 120.11. The wicketkeeper-batter, who is known for his fearless brand of cricket, also showed his ability to steady the ship when the team was in trouble. The Patna-born would be itching to stamp his authority in the upcoming season.

<h3>2. KL Rahul</h3>
<amp-img src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/featureimage/KL-Rahul-7.jpg" alt width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img>
<a href="https://www.crictracker.com/cricket-news/ind-vs-sl-gautam-gambhir-advises-kl-rahul-to-make-the-most-of-odi-series-vs-sri-lanka/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">KL Rahul</a> was sensational in the 2016 IPL, scoring 397 runs in 14 matches for Royal Challengers Bangalore at a strike rate of 146.49. Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings) liked what they saw in the ace batter and went all guns blazing to pick him at the IPL 2018 auction. They spent a hefty sum of INR 11 crore to sign the flamboyant batter.
Punjab’s investment reaped dividends as Rahul was prolific with the bat and plundered 659 runs in 14 games at a stunning strike rate of 158.41. Post his stellar season, the 30-year-old continued piling on runs and has now become a run machine in the Indian Premier League. He has played a total of 109 matches and amassed 3889 runs at a strike rate of 136.22.
The ace batter’s association with the Punjab franchise ended after the 2021 season. He is presently part of Lucknow Super Giants and fetches INR 17 crore per edition for his services. Rahul put up a show with the bat for LSG last season, scoring 616 runs in 15 matches at a strike rate of 135.38.

<h3>3. Shreyas Iyer</h3>
<amp-img src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/featureimage/2019/04/Shreyas-Iyer-1.jpg" alt width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img>
<a href="https://www.crictracker.com/shreyas-iyer-is-very-talented-but-needs-to-sort-his-problem-against-short-balls-scott-styris/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shreyas Iyer</a> has been a run-bank in the cash-rich league. The 28-year-old has featured in 101 matches and notched up 2776 runs at a strike rate of 125.38. He has been a consistent performer in the international arena too and scored 1043 runs in 49 T20Is at a strike rate of 135.98.
Kolkata Knight Riders went into a bidding war with Delhi Capitals and Gujarat Titans at the 2022 mega auction to sign Iyer and eventually grabbed him at INR 12.25 crore. The Indian batter had established his captaincy credentials in the IPL arena, leading Delhi Capitals to the playoffs in the 2019 and 2020 seasons, and thus KKR handed him the reins of the side.&nbsp;
However, Iyer failed to recreate the same magic for his new franchise and KKR finished the league stage at the seventh position with six wins in 14 games. Nevertheless, the Mumbai-born was brilliant with the bat and was the leading run-getter of his team, aggregating 401 runs in 14 games at a strike rate of 134.56.

<h3>4. Yuvraj Singh</h3>
<amp-img src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/featureimage/CT_350626.jpg" alt width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img>
<a href="https://www.crictracker.com/he-made-those-runs-before-i-beat-him-up-yuvraj-singh-congratulates-shubhman-gill-in-his-trademark-style/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Yuvraj Singh</a> was a giant of a player in the white-ball circuit. The southpaw amassed 8701 runs in 304 ODIs at a strike rate of 87.67 and bagged 111 wickets at an economy of 5.10. In the T20Is, he hammered 1177 runs in 58 matches at a strike rate of 136.38 and picked up 28 scalps for the Men in Blue.
A player of Yuvraj’s caliber is an asset to a side and thus, Royal Challengers Bangalore went hammer and tongs to pick him at the IPL 2014 auction, signing him for INR 14 crore. He did a decent job and scored 376 runs in 14 games at a strike rate of 135.25. However, RCB decided against reinvesting in the Chandigarh-born for the following season.
When Yuvraj entered the IPL 2015 auction, Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals) went all guns blazing to acquire him and spent an insane sum of INR 16 crore to rope him in. However, the former Indian cricketer was nowhere close to his best and could only score 248 runs in 14 matches at a strike rate of 118.09.&nbsp;Overall, the legendary cricketer made 132 appearances in IPL and amassed 2750 runs at a strike rate of 129.72. On the bowling front, he took 36 wickets at an economy of 7.44.

<h3>5. Ben Stokes</h3>
<amp-img src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/featureimage/2019/03/Ben-Stokes.jpg" alt width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img>
<a href="https://www.crictracker.com/my-commitment-outside-of-any-international-cricket-will-be-based-around-our-schedule-ben-stokes/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ben Stokes</a> is one of the finest all-rounders in world cricket at the moment. The 31-year-old has been a match-winner with both bat and ball and has left the world in awe with his spectacular performances. He has scored 585 runs in 43 T20Is at a strike rate of 128.00 and bagged 26 wickets for England.&nbsp;
Whenever the ace all-rounder has entered the IPL auction, franchises have gone into a bidding war to sign him. Stokes first went under the hammer at the 2017 auction and Rising Pune Supergiants acquired him for an eye-pooping sum of INR 14.5 crore. He was again up for grabs at the IPL 2018 auction and it was Rajasthan Royals that picked him at a gargantuan sum of INR 12.5 crore.
When Stokes arrived at the recently concluded IPL 2023 auction, Chennai Super Kings broke their bank to procure him and spent a staggering sum of INR 16.5 crore for the swashbuckling cricketer. The Christchurch-born has been brilliant in the IPL, scoring 920 runs in 43 games at a strike rate of 134.50 and bagging 28 scalps. The Chennai management would hope the England batter brings his A-game into play in the upcoming season.

<h3>6. Dinesh Karthik&nbsp;</h3>
<amp-img src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/featureimage/Dinesh-Karthik2.jpg" alt width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img>
<a href="https://www.crictracker.com/cricket-news/dinesh-karthik-names-his-top-three-indian-performers-across-all-formats-from-2022/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dinesh Karthik</a> set the 2013 season of the cash-rich league on fire with his blistering performances. He featured in 19 matches for Mumbai Indians and scored 510 runs at a strike rate of 124.08. Witnessing the Indian international’s batting heroics, Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals) bought him for the seventh IPL edition at a staggering amount of INR 12.5 crore.
The wicketkeeper batter did a decent job, scoring 325 runs in 14 games at a strike rate of 125.96. Karthik again fetched big bucks at the IPL 2015 auction when Royal Challengers Bangalore grabbed him at a hefty sum of INR 10.50 crore.
Over the years, Karthik has been one of the consistent performers in the lucrative T20 tournament. He has featured in 229 matches and accumulated 4376 runs at a strike rate of 132.65. The wicketkeeper-batter is presently associated with RCB as the franchise retained him after his stellar showing in the 2022 season. He lighted the 15th IPL edition with his incredible performances, hammering 330 runs in 16 matches at a strike rate of 183.33.

<h3>7. Sam Curran</h3>
<amp-img src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/featureimage/Sam-Curran-2.jpg" alt width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img>
<a href="https://www.crictracker.com/cricket-news/ipl-2023-auction-sam-curran-to-follow-ipl-auction-optimistically-on-tv/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sam Curran</a> has been a bankable name in the T20 circuit. The ace all-rounder has featured in 145 games in the shortest format and bagged 149 wickets at an economy of 8.43. On the batting front, he has scored 1731 runs at a strike rate of 135.65. The southpaw has been phenomenal for England as well, taking 41 wickets in 35 T20Is and scoring 158 runs at a strike rate of 130.57.
Curran’s stature in the international arena has grown leaps and bounds of late. He has shown his ability to bowl in any phase of the game and has been Jos Buttler’s go-to man at the death. The left-arm pacer wreaked havoc with the ball in the T20 World Cup 2022, picking up 13 wickets in matches at an economy of 6.52. The England pacer was adjudged the Player of the Tournament for his spectacular bowling displays.
Given Curran's rich vein of form, franchises went into a bidding war at the IPL 2023 auction to add him to their arsenal. In the end, Punjab Kings splurged an insane sum of INR 18.5 crore to sign the 24-year-old, making him the most expensive player in the history of the cash-rich league.

<h3>8. Rashid Khan</h3>
<amp-img src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/featureimage/Rashid-Khan-and-Kane-Williamson.jpg" alt width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img>
<a href="https://www.crictracker.com/cricket-news/the-secret-behind-rashid-khans-success-is-his-tremendous-hard-work-asghar-afghan/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rashid Khan</a> caught a lot of eyeballs with his magnificent performances in the 10th edition of the lucrative T20 tournament. He played 14 games for Sunrisers Hyderabad and bagged 17 scalps at an economy of 6.62. Post the leg-spinner’s superb showings, SRH bought him at INR 9 crore at the 2018 player auction.
The ace spinner has weaved his magic in each and every edition of the Indian Premier League and has picked up 112 wickets in 92 games at an economy of 6.38. Besides Rashid’s bowling prowess, he has been more than handy with the bat and smashed 313 runs at a strike rate of 151.94.
The 24-year-old has been marvellous in the international arena too. Rashid has bamboozled batters with his variations and bagged 122 wickets in 74 T20Is at an economy of 6.25. Also, he has smashed 328 runs for Afghanistan. The Nangarhar-born is one of the best spinners in the T20 circuit at the moment and would look to build on his legacy in the years to come.

<h3>9. Pat Cummins</h3>
<amp-img src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/featureimage/Pat-Cummins-of-Kolkata-Knight.jpg" alt width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img>
<a href="https://www.crictracker.com/cricket-news/pat-cummins-turns-down-million-dollar-offer-by-indian-leagues-for-australia-duty/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pat Cummins</a> has been a proven performer for Australia across formats. Test cricket has been his happy hunting ground, where he has bagged 210 wickets in 46 matches at an average of 21.29. The 29-year-old has fared well in the T20Is too and picked up 55 wickets in 50 games at an economy of 7.37. Further, he has played crucial knocks with the bat slotting in at lower down the order.
Cummins, with his ability to contribute in both departments, is an asset to any side. Therefore, Kolkata Knight Riders went bonkers to sign the Australian cricketer at IPL 2020 auction and finally clasped him at a whopping sum of INR 15.5 crore.
However, the bowling all-rounder was not able to justify his price tag in the 13th IPL edition. He could manage only 12 wickets in 14 matches at an economy of 7.86 and scored 146 runs at a strike rate of 128.07. Overall, Cummins has been excellent in the lucrative T20 tournament, picking up 45 scalps in 42 matches and hammering 379 runs at a strike rate of 152.21.

<h3>10. Deepak Chahar</h3>
<amp-img src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/featureimage/2019/04/Deepak-Chahar-2.jpg" alt width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img>
<a href="https://www.crictracker.com/i-could-have-made-comeback-2-3-weeks-ago-if-i-wanted-deepak-chahar/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Deepak Chahar</a> is one of the finest swing bowlers in the Indian cricketing circles. He has been a tone-setter with the new ball, providing his side with early breakthroughs. The 30-year-old has featured in 24 T20Is and bagged 29 wickets at an economy of 8.17. Also, he has been a vital contributor with the bat and scored 53 runs at a strike rate of 203.84.
Chahar has displayed his bowling might in the IPL arena time and time again. He has bagged 59 wickets in 63 matches at an economy of 7.80. On the bowling front, the Agra-born has smashed 79 runs at a strike rate of 138.60.
The 30-year-old has been an integral part of Chennai Super Kings’ bowling set-up since 2018. Thus, the team management left no stone unturned to sign Chahar at the 2022 mega auction and acquired his services at INR 14 crore. However, the investment could not bear fruit in the 16th IPL edition as the ace pacer was ruled out of the tournament due to a back injury.

<h3>11. Harshal Patel</h3>
<amp-img src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/featureimage/Faf-du-Plessis-and-Harshal-Patel.jpg" alt width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img>
<a href="https://www.crictracker.com/i-will-continue-to-put-myself-in-those-situations-harshal-patel-on-delivering-well-in-death-overs/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Harshal Patel</a> hogged the limelight with his breathtaking performances in the 14th edition of the Indian Premier League. He was the leading wicket-taker of the competition, with 32 scalps to his name in 15 matches for Royal Challengers Bangalore, and that too at an economy of 8.14, which is brilliant considering he bowled a lot the fag end of the innings.
Due to Harshal’s remarkable bowling displays, RCB went hammer and tongs to sign the ace pacer at the 2022 mega auction and ultimately grabbed him for INR 10.75 crore. He was outstanding with the ball in the 15th IPL edition and took 19 wickets in 15 matches at an economy of 7.66.
However, Harshal has not been able to thrive in the international arena so far. Though the Indian pacer has picked up 27 wickets in 24 T20Is, he has conceded runs at an alarming rate of 9.13. He would look to make amends in the upcoming T20I assignments.

The inaugural season of the Indian Premier League kick-started in 2008. It has been fifteen editions since then and fans have witnessed some exhilarating action on the cricket field. The player auction has been an integral part of the lucrative T20 tournament since its inception and has provided opportunities for franchises to revamp their squads.&nbsp;
Over the years, many world-class cricketers have featured at the<a href="https://www.crictracker.com/tag/ipl-auction/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> IPL auction</a> and franchises have broken banks to sign them. Some of these cricketers happened to deliver power-packed performances and justified every penny that was put on them, while there we a few who could not live up to their price tag.
<h3>Here is the Best XI of the costliest players at the IPL auctions</h3>
<h3>1. Ishan Kishan</h3>
<img src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/featureimage/Ishan-Kishan-and-Rohit-Sharma-1.jpg" alt="" width="640" loading="lazy">
<a href="https://www.crictracker.com/cricket-news/ishan-kishan-opens-up-on-mumbai-indians-role-in-his-evolution-as-batter/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ishan Kishan</a> was quite stunning in the 13th edition of the lucrative T20 tournament and smashed 516 runs in 14 matches at a strike rate of 145.76. His batting exploits were instrumental in Mumbai Indians clinching their fifth IPL title. The southpaw did a decent job in the following season, scoring 241 runs in 10 games at a strike rate of 133.88.
Courtesy of his performances, Kishan became an integral part of the Mumbai set-up. Also, the southpaw is a safe gloveman, which added his value to the side. Thus, when the Indian batter went under the hammer at the 2022 mega auction, MI left no stone unturned to sign him and spent a staggering sum of INR 15.25 crore to rope him in.
Kishan fared well, scoring 418 runs in 14 matches at a strike rate of 120.11. The wicketkeeper-batter, who is known for his fearless brand of cricket, also showed his ability to steady the ship when the team was in trouble. The Patna-born would be itching to stamp his authority in the upcoming season.

<h3>2. KL Rahul</h3>
<img src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/featureimage/KL-Rahul-7.jpg" alt="" width="640" loading="lazy">
<a href="https://www.crictracker.com/cricket-news/ind-vs-sl-gautam-gambhir-advises-kl-rahul-to-make-the-most-of-odi-series-vs-sri-lanka/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">KL Rahul</a> was sensational in the 2016 IPL, scoring 397 runs in 14 matches for Royal Challengers Bangalore at a strike rate of 146.49. Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings) liked what they saw in the ace batter and went all guns blazing to pick him at the IPL 2018 auction. They spent a hefty sum of INR 11 crore to sign the flamboyant batter.
Punjab’s investment reaped dividends as Rahul was prolific with the bat and plundered 659 runs in 14 games at a stunning strike rate of 158.41. Post his stellar season, the 30-year-old continued piling on runs and has now become a run machine in the Indian Premier League. He has played a total of 109 matches and amassed 3889 runs at a strike rate of 136.22.
The ace batter’s association with the Punjab franchise ended after the 2021 season. He is presently part of Lucknow Super Giants and fetches INR 17 crore per edition for his services. Rahul put up a show with the bat for LSG last season, scoring 616 runs in 15 matches at a strike rate of 135.38.

<h3>3. Shreyas Iyer</h3>
<img src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/featureimage/2019/04/Shreyas-Iyer-1.jpg" alt="" width="640" loading="lazy">
<a href="https://www.crictracker.com/shreyas-iyer-is-very-talented-but-needs-to-sort-his-problem-against-short-balls-scott-styris/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shreyas Iyer</a> has been a run-bank in the cash-rich league. The 28-year-old has featured in 101 matches and notched up 2776 runs at a strike rate of 125.38. He has been a consistent performer in the international arena too and scored 1043 runs in 49 T20Is at a strike rate of 135.98.
Kolkata Knight Riders went into a bidding war with Delhi Capitals and Gujarat Titans at the 2022 mega auction to sign Iyer and eventually grabbed him at INR 12.25 crore. The Indian batter had established his captaincy credentials in the IPL arena, leading Delhi Capitals to the playoffs in the 2019 and 2020 seasons, and thus KKR handed him the reins of the side.&nbsp;
However, Iyer failed to recreate the same magic for his new franchise and KKR finished the league stage at the seventh position with six wins in 14 games. Nevertheless, the Mumbai-born was brilliant with the bat and was the leading run-getter of his team, aggregating 401 runs in 14 games at a strike rate of 134.56.

<h3>4. Yuvraj Singh</h3>
<img src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/featureimage/CT_350626.jpg" alt="" width="640" loading="lazy">
<a href="https://www.crictracker.com/he-made-those-runs-before-i-beat-him-up-yuvraj-singh-congratulates-shubhman-gill-in-his-trademark-style/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Yuvraj Singh</a> was a giant of a player in the white-ball circuit. The southpaw amassed 8701 runs in 304 ODIs at a strike rate of 87.67 and bagged 111 wickets at an economy of 5.10. In the T20Is, he hammered 1177 runs in 58 matches at a strike rate of 136.38 and picked up 28 scalps for the Men in Blue.
A player of Yuvraj’s caliber is an asset to a side and thus, Royal Challengers Bangalore went hammer and tongs to pick him at the IPL 2014 auction, signing him for INR 14 crore. He did a decent job and scored 376 runs in 14 games at a strike rate of 135.25. However, RCB decided against reinvesting in the Chandigarh-born for the following season.
When Yuvraj entered the IPL 2015 auction, Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals) went all guns blazing to acquire him and spent an insane sum of INR 16 crore to rope him in. However, the former Indian cricketer was nowhere close to his best and could only score 248 runs in 14 matches at a strike rate of 118.09.&nbsp;Overall, the legendary cricketer made 132 appearances in IPL and amassed 2750 runs at a strike rate of 129.72. On the bowling front, he took 36 wickets at an economy of 7.44.

<h3>5. Ben Stokes</h3>
<img src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/featureimage/2019/03/Ben-Stokes.jpg" alt="" width="640" loading="lazy">
<a href="https://www.crictracker.com/my-commitment-outside-of-any-international-cricket-will-be-based-around-our-schedule-ben-stokes/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ben Stokes</a> is one of the finest all-rounders in world cricket at the moment. The 31-year-old has been a match-winner with both bat and ball and has left the world in awe with his spectacular performances. He has scored 585 runs in 43 T20Is at a strike rate of 128.00 and bagged 26 wickets for England.&nbsp;
Whenever the ace all-rounder has entered the IPL auction, franchises have gone into a bidding war to sign him. Stokes first went under the hammer at the 2017 auction and Rising Pune Supergiants acquired him for an eye-pooping sum of INR 14.5 crore. He was again up for grabs at the IPL 2018 auction and it was Rajasthan Royals that picked him at a gargantuan sum of INR 12.5 crore.
When Stokes arrived at the recently concluded IPL 2023 auction, Chennai Super Kings broke their bank to procure him and spent a staggering sum of INR 16.5 crore for the swashbuckling cricketer. The Christchurch-born has been brilliant in the IPL, scoring 920 runs in 43 games at a strike rate of 134.50 and bagging 28 scalps. The Chennai management would hope the England batter brings his A-game into play in the upcoming season.

<h3>6. Dinesh Karthik&nbsp;</h3>
<img src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/featureimage/Dinesh-Karthik2.jpg" alt="" width="640" loading="lazy">
<a href="https://www.crictracker.com/cricket-news/dinesh-karthik-names-his-top-three-indian-performers-across-all-formats-from-2022/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dinesh Karthik</a> set the 2013 season of the cash-rich league on fire with his blistering performances. He featured in 19 matches for Mumbai Indians and scored 510 runs at a strike rate of 124.08. Witnessing the Indian international’s batting heroics, Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals) bought him for the seventh IPL edition at a staggering amount of INR 12.5 crore.
The wicketkeeper batter did a decent job, scoring 325 runs in 14 games at a strike rate of 125.96. Karthik again fetched big bucks at the IPL 2015 auction when Royal Challengers Bangalore grabbed him at a hefty sum of INR 10.50 crore.
Over the years, Karthik has been one of the consistent performers in the lucrative T20 tournament. He has featured in 229 matches and accumulated 4376 runs at a strike rate of 132.65. The wicketkeeper-batter is presently associated with RCB as the franchise retained him after his stellar showing in the 2022 season. He lighted the 15th IPL edition with his incredible performances, hammering 330 runs in 16 matches at a strike rate of 183.33.

<h3>7. Sam Curran</h3>
<img src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/featureimage/Sam-Curran-2.jpg" alt="" width="640" loading="lazy">
<a href="https://www.crictracker.com/cricket-news/ipl-2023-auction-sam-curran-to-follow-ipl-auction-optimistically-on-tv/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sam Curran</a> has been a bankable name in the T20 circuit. The ace all-rounder has featured in 145 games in the shortest format and bagged 149 wickets at an economy of 8.43. On the batting front, he has scored 1731 runs at a strike rate of 135.65. The southpaw has been phenomenal for England as well, taking 41 wickets in 35 T20Is and scoring 158 runs at a strike rate of 130.57.
Curran’s stature in the international arena has grown leaps and bounds of late. He has shown his ability to bowl in any phase of the game and has been Jos Buttler’s go-to man at the death. The left-arm pacer wreaked havoc with the ball in the T20 World Cup 2022, picking up 13 wickets in matches at an economy of 6.52. The England pacer was adjudged the Player of the Tournament for his spectacular bowling displays.
Given Curran's rich vein of form, franchises went into a bidding war at the IPL 2023 auction to add him to their arsenal. In the end, Punjab Kings splurged an insane sum of INR 18.5 crore to sign the 24-year-old, making him the most expensive player in the history of the cash-rich league.

<h3>8. Rashid Khan</h3>
<img src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/featureimage/Rashid-Khan-and-Kane-Williamson.jpg" alt="" width="640" loading="lazy">
<a href="https://www.crictracker.com/cricket-news/the-secret-behind-rashid-khans-success-is-his-tremendous-hard-work-asghar-afghan/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rashid Khan</a> caught a lot of eyeballs with his magnificent performances in the 10th edition of the lucrative T20 tournament. He played 14 games for Sunrisers Hyderabad and bagged 17 scalps at an economy of 6.62. Post the leg-spinner’s superb showings, SRH bought him at INR 9 crore at the 2018 player auction.
The ace spinner has weaved his magic in each and every edition of the Indian Premier League and has picked up 112 wickets in 92 games at an economy of 6.38. Besides Rashid’s bowling prowess, he has been more than handy with the bat and smashed 313 runs at a strike rate of 151.94.
The 24-year-old has been marvellous in the international arena too. Rashid has bamboozled batters with his variations and bagged 122 wickets in 74 T20Is at an economy of 6.25. Also, he has smashed 328 runs for Afghanistan. The Nangarhar-born is one of the best spinners in the T20 circuit at the moment and would look to build on his legacy in the years to come.

<h3>9. Pat Cummins</h3>
<img src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/featureimage/Pat-Cummins-of-Kolkata-Knight.jpg" alt="" width="640" loading="lazy">
<a href="https://www.crictracker.com/cricket-news/pat-cummins-turns-down-million-dollar-offer-by-indian-leagues-for-australia-duty/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pat Cummins</a> has been a proven performer for Australia across formats. Test cricket has been his happy hunting ground, where he has bagged 210 wickets in 46 matches at an average of 21.29. The 29-year-old has fared well in the T20Is too and picked up 55 wickets in 50 games at an economy of 7.37. Further, he has played crucial knocks with the bat slotting in at lower down the order.
Cummins, with his ability to contribute in both departments, is an asset to any side. Therefore, Kolkata Knight Riders went bonkers to sign the Australian cricketer at IPL 2020 auction and finally clasped him at a whopping sum of INR 15.5 crore.
However, the bowling all-rounder was not able to justify his price tag in the 13th IPL edition. He could manage only 12 wickets in 14 matches at an economy of 7.86 and scored 146 runs at a strike rate of 128.07. Overall, Cummins has been excellent in the lucrative T20 tournament, picking up 45 scalps in 42 matches and hammering 379 runs at a strike rate of 152.21.

<h3>10. Deepak Chahar</h3>
<img src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/featureimage/2019/04/Deepak-Chahar-2.jpg" alt="" width="640" loading="lazy">
<a href="https://www.crictracker.com/i-could-have-made-comeback-2-3-weeks-ago-if-i-wanted-deepak-chahar/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Deepak Chahar</a> is one of the finest swing bowlers in the Indian cricketing circles. He has been a tone-setter with the new ball, providing his side with early breakthroughs. The 30-year-old has featured in 24 T20Is and bagged 29 wickets at an economy of 8.17. Also, he has been a vital contributor with the bat and scored 53 runs at a strike rate of 203.84.
Chahar has displayed his bowling might in the IPL arena time and time again. He has bagged 59 wickets in 63 matches at an economy of 7.80. On the bowling front, the Agra-born has smashed 79 runs at a strike rate of 138.60.
The 30-year-old has been an integral part of Chennai Super Kings’ bowling set-up since 2018. Thus, the team management left no stone unturned to sign Chahar at the 2022 mega auction and acquired his services at INR 14 crore. However, the investment could not bear fruit in the 16th IPL edition as the ace pacer was ruled out of the tournament due to a back injury.

<h3>11. Harshal Patel</h3>
<img src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/featureimage/Faf-du-Plessis-and-Harshal-Patel.jpg" alt="" width="640" loading="lazy">
<a href="https://www.crictracker.com/i-will-continue-to-put-myself-in-those-situations-harshal-patel-on-delivering-well-in-death-overs/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Harshal Patel</a> hogged the limelight with his breathtaking performances in the 14th edition of the Indian Premier League. He was the leading wicket-taker of the competition, with 32 scalps to his name in 15 matches for Royal Challengers Bangalore, and that too at an economy of 8.14, which is brilliant considering he bowled a lot the fag end of the innings.
Due to Harshal’s remarkable bowling displays, RCB went hammer and tongs to sign the ace pacer at the 2022 mega auction and ultimately grabbed him for INR 10.75 crore. He was outstanding with the ball in the 15th IPL edition and took 19 wickets in 15 matches at an economy of 7.66.
However, Harshal has not been able to thrive in the international arena so far. Though the Indian pacer has picked up 27 wickets in 24 T20Is, he has conceded runs at an alarming rate of 9.13. He would look to make amends in the upcoming T20I assignments.

The inaugural season of the Indian Premier League kick-started in 2008. It has been fifteen editions since then and fans have witnessed some exhilarating action on the cricket field. The player auctio

Best XI of the costliest players at IPL auctions

Over the years, many world-class cricketers have featured at the IPL auction and franchises have broken banks to sign them.

IPL: Best XI of costliest players at auctions

Here we look at the Best XI of the costliest players at the IPL auctions.