Top 5 Most Expensive Picks in IPL 2021 Auction

Before the action takes place on the field, all the eight IPL franchises were involved in a fierce battle in the auction room on Thursday (February 18). A total of 292 players went under the hammer and 57 of them got the IPL contracts. Just like the previous auctions, the IPL 2021 auction was also full of surprises as unexpected names earned lucrative deals while several big names went unsold.

At the very start, Chris Morris created history by becoming the most expensive player in IPL auction history. Rajasthan Royals spent a whopping amount of Rs 16.25 crores to sign up Morris. The record of being the most expensive player in the IPL auction was previously held by former India batsman Yuvraj Singh.

On the other hand, Krishnappa Gowtham was the most expensive Indian player in the auction. Chennai Super Kings went big for the Karnataka all-rounder and ended up making him the most expensive uncapped player in IPL history.

So with the auction now done and dusted, here is a look at the top five most expensive picks in IPL 2021 auction:

5. Krishnappa Gowtham – Rs 9.25 crore (CSK)

At number five in this list is Krishnappa Gowtham who is also the only Indian in this list. The Karnataka star was bought by Chennai Super Kings for a whopping Rs. 9.25 crore. A lower-order batsman and a fine off-spinner, Gowtham had registered himself at a base price of Rs 20 lakh. The lucrative IPL deal has made him the most expensive uncapped Indian player in IPL history.

Previously, all-rounder Krunal Pandya held the record for a most expensive uncapped player in IPL after Mumbai Indians retained him for 8.8 crore through the Right to Match option in the IPL 2018 auction. Sunrisers Hyderabad and Kolkata Knight Riders started the bidding for Gowtham and were involved in an intense bidding war.

Chennai Super Kings soon joined the race with a bid of Rs 7.75 crore. In the end, the three-time IPL winners beat Sunrisers Hyderabad to secure Gowtham’s services. So far, Gowtham has played 62 T20s, scoring 594 runs and taking 41 wickets in them.

4. Jhye Richardson- 14 crore – (PBKS)

Australia star Jhye Richardson could not have asked for a better start to his IPL career as Punjab Kings spent a whopping amount of Rs 14 crore to sign him. Richardson had registered himself at a base price of Rs 1.5 crore. Royal Challengers Bangalore made the opening bid for the pacer before Delhi Capitals and Punjab Kings entered the race. After few bids, Punjab had opted out as Delhi and Bangalore fought it out for Richardson.

But Punjab soon re-joined the race at Rs. 7.50 crore. In the end, Punjab beat Bangalore to secure Richardson’s services. There was plenty of buzz about Richardson before the auction because of his exploits for Perth Scorchers in the recently-concluded season of the Big Bash League, Australia’s premier T20 competition.

The 24-year old had played an integral role in Perth Scorchers’ march to the final where they lost to Sydney Sixers. Richardson finished BBL as the highest wicket-taker, taking 29 wickets. He had also bowled an impressive 152 dot balls during the competition.

3. Glenn Maxwell: 14.25 crore

Despite Glenn Maxwell‘s indifferent performance in IPL in recent years, he was widely backed to get a lucrative contract in this year’s IPL auction and the Australia allrounder did get it. As expected, the hard-hitting allrounder, who had registered himself at the highest base price of Rs 2 crore, caused a bidding war before Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) secured his services for a whopping amount of Rs 14.25 crores.

Kolkata Knight Riders were the first to bid for the all-rounder before Rajasthan Royals joined the race. After a few exchanges, Royals were replaced by RCB, and eventually, the latter and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) fought it out for Maxwell. RCB and CSK went all out for Maxwell and in the end, the Bangalore-based outfit secured his services. Hopes will be sky high from Maxwell this year after his latest lucrative IPL contract.

Maxwell has blown hot and cold in IPL so far. Barring the 2014 season when he scored 552 runs and helped Punjab Kings make it to the final, he has not delivered as per expectations. Since that season, he managed to score more than 200 runs only once when he amassed 310 runs in 2017. Maxwell had his worst IPL season last year when he managed to score just 108 runs in 13 games while plying his trade for Punjab Kings before being released earlier this year.

2. Kyle Jamieson: Rs 15 crore – (RCB)

New Zealand star Kyle Jamieson bagged the second most expensive contract in IPL 2021 auction. Having registered himself at a modest base price of Rs 75 lakh, Jamieson was bought by Royal Challengers Bangalore for a whopping amount of Rs 15 crore by Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). Jamieson also became the most expensive  New Zealand player in the history of the IPL.

RCB and Delhi Capitals started the bidding for Jamieson before Punjab Kings entered the bid with Rs. 7.75 Crore. RCB and Punjab then bid fiercely for the Kiwi star before the former won the race.  The 6 feet 8-inch tall cricketer has played 6 Tests, 2 ODIs, and 4 T20Is for New Zealand to date.  Jamieson had become an instant hit in international cricket when he impressed on his Test and ODI debut against India last year.

Jamieson holds the record for the fifth-best figures in the shortest format of the game thanks to his figures of 6 for 7 for Canterbury Kings against Auckland Aces in January 2019. Overall, he has picked up 54 wickets in 38 T20s so far.

1. Chris Morris: 16.25 crore

Chris Morris, who had registered himself at a base price of Rs 75 lakh, became the most expensive signing in IPL history with his former IPL team Rajasthan Royals shelling out Rs 16.25 Crore for him. Previously, the record belonged to former India batsman Yuvraj Singh who was signed up for Rs 16 crore by Delhi Capitals (then Delhi Daredevils) in the eighth edition of the IPL.

Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bangalore started the bidding for the all-rounder and went all out for him before the Royals entered the bid battle at Rs 10.25 Crore. There was more drama to the race as Punjab Kings also joined the bidding war and entered at Rs 13.50 Crore. In the end, Royals and Punjab went all the way before the former signed up Morris.

Morris had previously plied his trade for Rajasthan Royals in the 2015 season when he scored 311 runs and took 13 wickets from 11 games. Overall, he has played 70 games in the IPL and has scored 551 runs at a strike-rate of 157.88 in addition to taking 80 wickets at an economy of 7.81. In the last season, he played for Royal Challengers Bangalore.