IPL 2020 auction: 5 most expensive Indian signings in the T20 league’s history

The auction for Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 is all set to be held on December 19 in Kolkata. Before that, all the eight franchises have announced their complete list of players released and retained. All the franchises will now be working on strategies to get things right at the auction so that they can spend their money right.

While the franchises were allotted Rs 82 crore each for the IPL 2019 season, Rs 85 crore has been allocated to each team for the 2020 season. The franchises will also have an additional purse of Rs 3 crore apart from the balance in their kitty, which will be carried forward from the last auction. The 2020 auction will be the last one before the franchises disband, and fresh squads will be assembled at the 2021 mega auction. This adds another interesting aspect to the bidding war this year.

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Over the years, many Indian players have been handed hefty pay packages by franchises. In the build-up to the 2020 auction, here’s a look at the top five most expensive Indian players in IPL history.

#5. Gautam Gambhir - Rs 11.04 crore

Gautam Gambhir

Former India opener Gautam Gambhir was purchased by Kolkata Knight Riders in 2011 for Rs 11.04 crore. He stayed with Shah Rukh Khan’s franchise till 2017 and had a mostly successful run. Under Gambhir as captain, KKR won the IPL in 2012, and again in 2014. He led from the front in the 2012 edition with 590 runs in 17 games at a strike rate of 143.55 with six fifties.

Gambhir wasn’t as successful with the bat in 2014, scoring 335 runs at a much slower strike rate of 114.33. However, his shrewd captaincy came in for praise as KKR lifted the title again. In 2018, Delhi Daredevils purchased him for Rs 2.8 crore and named him captain. However, he stepped down midway after some poor performances, and also decided to forego his salary.

#4. Jaydev Unadkat - Rs 11.5 crore

Jaydev Unadkat

Left-arm pacer Jaydev Unadkat was purchased by Rajasthan Royals for Rs 11.5 crore during the 2018 auction after he impressed for Rising Pune Supergiant with 24 wickets in the previous season. However, the burden of expectations seemed to weigh heavily on Unadkat. He managed only 11 wickets in 15 games at an economy rate of 9.65.

Despite the massive disappointment, RR again placed their faith in the Unadkat. After releasing him, they purchased him back at the 2019 auction for Rs 8.4 crore. Unadkat fared worse this time, with 10 scalps in 11 games at an economy rate of 10.66. Not surprisingly, Royals have released him from the squad for 2020 season.

#3. Dinesh Karthik - Rs 12.5 crore

Dinesh Karthik

Dinesh Karthik may not have had a highly successful international career, but he remains in demand in the IPL. Despite having scored 510 runs for Mumbai Indians in the 2013 edition, he was released by the franchise, only for Delhi Daredevils to purchase him for Rs 12.5 crore in 2014. He had a decent run for DD that year, scoring 325 runs in 14 games at a strike rate of 125.96.

In the 2018 auction, he was picked up by KKR for Rs 7.4 crore and was appointed captain. He has been retained by KKR for the 2020 season as well.

#2. Yuvraj Singh - Rs 16 crore

Yuvraj Singh

Former India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh, who will not be seen in the IPL again, was picked up by Delhi Daredevils for Rs 16 crore in 2015. This was after he was purchased by Royal Challengers Bangalore for Rs 14 crore the year before. For RCB, Yuvraj scored 376 runs in 14 games at a strike rate of 135.25 with three fifties. However, he turned out to be a major disappointment for DD in 2015, with only 248 runs at a poor strike rate of 118.09.

Yuvraj’s stock in IPL fell very quickly and for the 2019 edition, Mumbai Indians bought him for Rs 1 crore. The veteran cricketer featured in only four games and scored 98 runs.

#1. Virat Kohli - Rs 17 crore

Virat Kohli (Picture courtesy: BCCI/iplt20.com)

Not surprisingly, Indian captain, Virat Kohli tops the list. In 2018, RCB retained him for a whopping Rs 17 crore, up from the Rs 15 crore he was drawing the previous year with the franchise. The deal made him the costliest player ever to be signed in the IPL. He lived up to his reputation, scoring 530 runs at a strike rate of 139.10 in the season. Kohli continued doing well in 2019 as well, notching up 464 runs in 14 games, striking at 141.46. However, despite Kohli’s best efforts, RCB finished at the bottom in the 2019 season.

While Kohli remains the only cricketer to play for only one franchise since the launch of IPL, he would be desperate to replicable his international success as captain at the IPL level as well.