Cricket hysteria in the form of the Indian Premier League is upon us with the first match. This season of the IPL will also have some lesser-known members ( with 5 most expensive player in IPL) under spotlight. These players have been able to allure celebrating amounts in the auction which was also held in Chennai in February. A total of 292 players went under the gavel, and 57 of them got the IPL contracts. Also, 5 of them become the most expensive player in IPL. Just like the previous auctions, the IPL 2021 auction was also full of surprises as unexpected names earned profitable deals while several big names left unsold.
At the very beginning, Chris Morris created history by becoming the most expensive player in IPL auction history. Rajasthan Royals spent a mountainous amount of Rs 16.25 crores to sign up Morris.
On the other hand, Krishnappa Gowtham became the most expensive Indian player in the auction.
With the auction now done and dusted, let us look at the top five most expensive players in IPL 2021.
1. Chris Morris: 16.25 crore
Chris Morris, who had enrolled himself at a base price of Rs 75 lakh, became the most expensive player in IPL history with his recent IPL team Rajasthan Royals shelling out Rs 16.25 Crore for him. Previously, the record belonged to former India batsman Yuvraj Singh who has approved up for Rs 16 crore by Delhi Capitals (then Delhi Daredevils) in the eighth edition of the IPL.
Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bangalore began the bidding for the all-rounder and went all out for him before the Royals started the bid battle at Rs 10.25 Crore. There was more drama to the race as Punjab Kings also joined the bidding war and listed at Rs 13.50 Crore. In the end, Royals and Punjab went all the way before the former signed up Morris.
Morris had earlier 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 added 551 runs at a strike rate of 157.88. In addition to taking 80 wickets at earnings of 7.81. In the last season, he performed for Royal Challengers Bangalore.
2. Kyle Jamieson: Rs 15 crore – (RCB)
New Zealand star Kyle Jamieson got the second most expensive player in IPL 2021 auction. Having enrolled himself at a modest base price of Rs 75 lakh, Jamieson was bought by Royal Challengers Bangalore for a mountainous amount of Rs 15 crore by Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). Jamieson also became the most valuable New Zealand player in the history of the IPL.
RCB and Delhi Capitals began the bidding for Jamieson before Punjab Kings started the bid with Rs. 7.75 Crore. RCB and Punjab then bid fiercely for the Kiwi star before the past won the race. The 6 feet 8-inch tall cricketer has performed 6 Tests, 2 ODIs, and 4 T20Is for New Zealand to date. Jamieson had become an instant hit in international cricket when he swayed on his Test and ODI debut against India last year.
Jamieson continues 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 pulled up 54 wickets in 38 T20s so far.
3. Glenn Maxwell: 14.25 crore
Despite Glenn Maxwell‘s superior performance in IPL in recent years, he was widely backed to get a profitable contract in this year’s IPL auction. As expected, the hard-hitting allrounder, who had recorded 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 head 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 assistance. Hopes will be sky high from Maxwell this year after his latest profitable IPL contract.
Maxwell has gone hot and cold in IPL so far. Barring the 2014 season when he got 552 runs and helped Punjab Kings make it to the final, he has not performed as per expectations. Since that season, he survived to score more than 200 runs only once when he amassed 310 runs in 2017. Maxwell had his most critical IPL season last year when he managed to score just 108 runs in 13 games while playing his contract for Punjab Kings before being released earlier this year.
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 mountainous amount of Rs 14 crore to sign him. Richardson had enrolled 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 got 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 defeated Bangalore to secure Richardson’s services. There was plenty of hum 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 essential role in Perth Scorchers’ march to the final where they lost to Sydney Sixers. Richardson finished BBL as the most leading wicket-taker, taking 29 wickets. He had also bowled an awesome 152 dot balls during the competition.
5. Krishnappa Gowtham – Rs 9.25 crore (CSK)
At number five in this list of most expensive player in IPL is Krishnappa Gowtham, who is also the only Indian on this list. The Karnataka star was taken by Chennai Super Kings for a whopping Rs. 9.25 crore. A lower-order batsman and a fine off-spinner, Gowtham had recorded himself at a base price of Rs 20 lakh. The profitable IPL deal has made him the most expensive uncapped Indian player in IPL history.
Previously, all-rounder Krunal Pandya held the experience for the most expensive uncapped player in IPL after Mumbai Indians retained him for 8.8 crores through the Right to Match title in the IPL 2018 auction. Sunrisers Hyderabad and Kolkata Knight Riders started the bidding for Gowtham and were included in an intense bidding war.
Chennai Super Kings soon entered 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 co-operations. So far, Gowtham has played 62 T20s, adding 594 runs and taking 41 wickets in them.
Eight teams are a member of IPL 2021. As far as auction is concerned, the Five most expensive player in IPL involve four overseas and one Indian player.
Also Read: IPL 2020 – These Four Players can be the Next Superstar
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