7 Most Expensive Players in IPL 2023

The IPL 2023 mini auctions recorded a 15% increase in spending compared to the 2021 auctions. The 10 participating teams collectively spent INR 167 crore during the auctions held on December 23, 2022, in Kochi, while only INR 145.3 crore was spent by eight teams during the 2021 auctions. However, the spending during the 2023 season was 70% lower than the record-breaking amount of INR 551.7 crore spent in 2022.

If we look at the IPL player's auction price, the data shows that the proportion of overseas players purchased has been declining since 2020, from 47% in 2020 to 39% in 2021 and 33% in 2022. However, the proportion has slightly increased to 36% in the upcoming season. PBKS's bid on Curran is the most expensive by a team to acquire a single player in IPL history.Sam Curran, an England all-rounder, was sold to Punjab Kings for INR 18.5 crore, 21% higher than the previous season's most expensive player, Ishan Kishan, bought for INR 15.25 crore by Mumbai Indians.

Other expensive players include Ben Stokes, Nicholas Pooran, Cameron Green, and Harry Brook, none of whom are Indian players. The most expensive Indian player of the season is Mayank Agarwal, who has auctioned for INR 8.25 crore and will play for Sunrisers Hyderabad.

IPL 2023 Mega Auction's Most Expensive Players

Overview of Top 10 Most Expensive Players

1. Sam Curran – Rs. 18.5 crores

Sam Curran was acquired at a jaw-dropping Rs. 18.5 crores, surpassing Chris Morris' previous record as the most expensive player in IPL history. Curran's bidding started at Rs. 2 crores, but his exceptional performance in the T20 World Cup in Australia earlier this year, where he won the Player of the Tournament award, propelled him to the top spot as the costliest player in this season's IPL.

Curran's impressive performance in the T20 World Cup included taking 13 wickets, with a standout performance of 3 for 12 against Pakistan in the championship match, which earned him the Player of the Match Honors. With this significant acquisition, Curran has become the talk of the town in the IPL 2023 auction, solidifying his status as one of the most sought-after players in the cricketing world.

2. Cameron Green – Rs. 17.50 crores

Cameron Green has become the second-most expensive player in IPL 2023, having been bought by Mumbai Indians for a whopping Rs. 17.50 crore. Initially, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Mumbai Indians had bid Rs. 2 crore for the Australian player at the auction, but the price quickly escalated to over Rs. 7 crore. Eventually, Delhi Capitals also entered the bidding war once the amount exceeded Rs 10 crore.

As the price reached a staggering Rs. 15 crore, both Delhi Capitals and Mumbai Indians were fiercely competing for Green's signature. Despite the record-breaking bid, Mumbai Indians remained determined and eventually secured the all-rounder's services. Green is highly regarded in Australia and is often compared to the legendary cricketer Jacques Kallis. Recently, Green made waves in the cricketing world by scoring his first international hundred in the Border Gavaskar Trophy 2023. His talent and potential have made him the most talked-about player in Australia, and his acquisition by Mumbai Indians has undoubtedly raised the team's prospects for IPL 2023.

3. Ben Stokes – Rs. 16.25 crores

With an eye towards the post-Dhoni era, CSK has made a significant investment in Ben Stokes, signing him for Rs. 16.25 crore as a potential captaincy candidate. Stokes' outstanding performance in England's T20 World Cup winning campaign earlier this year has garnered him interest from several other IPL teams. He has now surpassed Deepak Chahar as CSK's most expensive player ever.

Initially, the English all-rounder auctioned for Rs. 2 crores, and RCB and RR were quick to enter the bidding war before LSG offered Rs. 7 crores. CSK and SRH also joined the fray soon after, with the former eventually securing Stokes' services for a record-breaking Rs. 16.25 crore, which is the third-highest purchase price in IPL history. As a result, Stokes is now the third most expensive player in IPL 2023. CSK's decision to invest heavily in Stokes reflects their ambition to maintain their winning legacy even after the retirement of their legendary captain, MS Dhoni. Stokes' exceptional abilities as an all-rounder and potential leadership qualities make him a valuable asset to the franchise.

4. Nicholas Pooran – Rs. 16.00 crores

Lucknow Super Giants have made history in the IPL auction by signing the West Indies wicketkeeper-batter for a record-breaking Rs. 16 crores, making him the most expensive player in that category. Chennai Super Kings started the bidding process with a base price of Rs. 2 crores, but Rajasthan Royals quickly challenged them as the price went above Rs. 3 crores. Delhi Capitals entered the race with an entry fee of Rs. 3.60 crores, and a fierce battle ensued between them and the Royals as the price soared above Rs. 6 crores. With an initial entry fee of Rs. 7.25 crore, Lucknow Super Giants eventually outbid everyone by paying more than Rs. 10 crore. When the Capitals withdrew from the race at Rs. 16 crores, Lucknow successfully secured the player. As a result, he is now the fourth most expensive player in IPL 2023.

The addition of Pooran to the Lucknow team has significantly bolstered their batting line-up, adding plenty of firepowers. His presence allows KL Rahul to play freely alongside Pooran and Stoinis as finishers, creating a formidable middle order.

5. Harry Brook – Rs. 13.25 crores

Sunrisers Hyderabad made a stunning acquisition by securing the services of the young English batter for Rs. 13.25 crore, nearly nine times his base price of Rs. 1.5 crore. Before SRH entered the bidding war, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Rajasthan Royals were locked in a fierce battle. The price continued to escalate as SRH and RR engaged in a bidding war, with Brook's value reaching Rs. 13 crores before RR eventually withdrew. Only Rs. 13.2 crore remained in their kitty. As a result, Brook is now the fifth most expensive player in IPL 2023.

At just 24 years of age, Harry Brook has already achieved remarkable success in his short international career. He has scored four Test hundreds and is being touted as the next "all-format player after Virat Kohli" by none other than Ben Stokes.

6. Mayank Agarwal – Rs. 8.25 crores

Despite his underwhelming performance in the IPL 2022 and subsequent release by the Punjab Kings ahead of the IPL 2023 auction, Mayank Agarwal caused quite a stir as multiple franchises engaged in an intense bidding war for his services. Initially, the bidding war was between the Punjab Kings and the Royal Challengers Bangalore, with the Chennai Super Kings joining the race later. However, it was the Sunrisers Hyderabad who eventually emerged victorious, securing Agarwal's services for a whopping Rs. 8.25 crore. It's worth noting that Agarwal was replaced as captain by Shikhar Dhawan before being released by the Punjab franchise. He joined the Punjab team in 2018 and scored only 196 runs in 13 matches at an average of 16.33 in the last season.

7. Shivam Mavi – Rs. 6 crores

Mavi, a 24-year-old cricketer, had a chance to showcase his talent with the Kolkata Knight Riders in the 2022 IPL season. However, the team decided to release him before the 2023 mini-auctions. Despite being let go by his previous team, Mavi's impressive performance caught the attention of several franchises during the auction, including the Gujarat Titans, CSK, KKR, and Rajasthan Royals.

Initially, Mavi was only listed at a base price of Rs. 40 Lakh, but his value rapidly increased as the bidding intensified. In the end, Mavi's final selling price was a staggering Rs. 6 crores. It was an astonishing feat for the young player who went from being released by his previous team to becoming one of the most sought-after players in the auction.

Shocking! Top players who went unsold

The auction for 2023 saw many English players securing large deals, while players such as Tom Banton, Chris Jordan, Will Smeed, Tom Curran, Luke Wood, Jamie Overton, and Rehan Ahmed did not receive any bids. Notably, Dawid Malan, who holds the highest ranking for an English batter in the ICC T20I Batters chart, went unsold. On the other hand, Sandeep Sharma, Shreyas Gopal, and Shashank Singh were among the unsold Indian players, but Ajinkya Rahane, a veteran batter, surprisingly managed to secure a contract with Chennai Super Kings.