Top 5 buys from the 2008 IPL auction, and where they are now

#3 Sanath Jayasuriya ($9,75,000)

Sanath Jayasuriya

Sri Lankan legend Sanath Jayasuriya was picked up by Mumbai Indians in the 2008 auction for $9,75,000. The move meant the world would get to see two of the game’s greatest opening together - Jayasuriya and Sachin Tendulkar. It was a dream come true for many fans across the globe.

The left-hander was in typically murderous form for MI, plundering 518 runs in 14 matches at a strike rate of 167.63. He smashed an unbeaten 114 from 48 balls, his only IPL century, in a game against Chennai Super Kings at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. That was the same match in which Tendulkar made his IPL debut, after missing the earlier games due to a groin injury.

Jayasuriya failed to repeat his form in the subsequent seasons, and did not play the tournament after 2010.

He continued playing ODIs and T20Is for Sri Lanka till 2011. Jayasuriya subsequently entered politics, and was Member of the Parliament for Matara from 2010 to 2015.

In 2013, he was appointed as the chairman of Sri Lanka’s cricket selection committee. In February this year, Jayasuriya was banned for two years from taking part in any cricket-related activity by ICC’s anti-corruption unit, for failing to co-operate in a corruption investigation.