Quick Answer: Rishabh Pant is the most expensive player in IPL history. Lucknow Super Giants bought him for ₹27 crore at the 2025 mega auction. Cameron Green is the most expensive overseas player, bought by Kolkata Knight Riders for ₹25.20 crore in the 2026 auction. The first auction-topper was MS Dhoni, bought by CSK for $1.5 million in 2008.
Most Expensive IPL Player in Every Auction
| Year | Player | Team | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | MS Dhoni | CSK | $1.5 million (≈ ₹6 cr) |
| 2009 | Kevin Pietersen & Andrew Flintoff | RCB / CSK | $1.55 million each |
| 2010 | Kieron Pollard & Shane Bond | MI / KKR | $750,000 each |
| 2011 | Gautam Gambhir | KKR | $2.4 million |
| 2012 | Ravindra Jadeja | CSK | $2 million |
| 2013 | Glenn Maxwell | MI | $1 million |
| 2014 | Yuvraj Singh | RCB | ₹14 crore |
| 2015 | Yuvraj Singh | Delhi Daredevils | ₹16 crore |
| 2016 | Shane Watson | RCB | ₹9.5 crore |
| 2017 | Ben Stokes | Rising Pune Supergiant | ₹14.5 crore |
| 2018 | Ben Stokes | RR | ₹12.5 crore |
| 2019 | Jaydev Unadkat & Varun Chakravarthy | RR / KXIP | ₹8.4 crore each |
| 2020 | Pat Cummins | KKR | ₹15.5 crore |
| 2021 | Chris Morris | RR | ₹16.25 crore |
| 2022 | Ishan Kishan | MI | ₹15.25 crore |
| 2023 | Sam Curran | PBKS | ₹18.5 crore |
| 2024 | Mitchell Starc | KKR | ₹24.75 crore |
| 2025 | Rishabh Pant | LSG | ₹27 crore (all-time record) |
| 2026 | Cameron Green | KKR | ₹25.20 crore |
Note: 2008–2013 auctions were conducted in US dollars.
Who Is the Most Expensive Player in IPL History?
Rishabh Pant holds the all-time record at ₹27 crore (Lucknow Super Giants, 2025 mega auction). The 2026 auction did not break it, though Cameron Green’s ₹25.20 crore made him the costliest overseas buy ever, surpassing Mitchell Starc’s ₹24.75 crore from 2024.
Key Trends in IPL Auction History
- Back-to-back toppers: Yuvraj Singh (2014, 2015) and Ben Stokes (2017, 2018) were the most expensive buys in consecutive auctions.
- Big-money buys that paid off: Gautam Gambhir (2011) captained KKR to titles in 2012 and 2014.
- Price explosion: The top price rose from about ₹6 crore in 2008 to ₹27 crore in 2025.
- KKR’s spending: KKR bought the auction-topper in 2011, 2020, 2024 and 2026.
Top 5 Most Expensive IPL Buys Ever
| Rank | Player | Team | Price | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rishabh Pant | LSG | ₹27 cr | 2025 |
| 2 | Cameron Green | KKR | ₹25.20 cr | 2026 |
| 3 | Mitchell Starc | KKR | ₹24.75 cr | 2024 |
| 4 | Sam Curran | PBKS | ₹18.5 cr | 2023 |
| 5 | Chris Morris | RR | ₹16.25 cr | 2021 |
Auction-topper prices only; other high bids from the same auctions are not included.
FAQs: IPL Auction Records
Q.1: Who is the most expensive IPL player ever?
Rishabh Pant, bought by Lucknow Super Giants for ₹27 crore in 2025.
Q.2: Who was the most expensive player in the IPL 2026 auction?
Cameron Green, bought by KKR for ₹25.20 crore.
Q.3: Who is the most expensive overseas player in IPL history?
Cameron Green (₹25.20 crore, 2026).
Q.4Who was the first most expensive player in IPL?
MS Dhoni, bought by Chennai Super Kings for $1.5 million in 2008.
