Most Expensive Players of IPL 2023
After Kolkata Knight Riders and Sunrisers Hyderabad paid outrageous sums of money to secure Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins’ services for the 2024 Indian Premier League, the record books were rewritten. After KKR paid ₹24.75 crore for Starc, the player became the most expensive in IPL history. An hour later, Cummins was purchased for ₹20.5 crore, making him the first player to cross the 20-crore threshold in the 17-year history of IPL auctions. Cummins’ record, however, was short-lived as Starc’s value reached an unprecedented height throughout a furious match between the Gujarat Titans and KKR.
Former Australia pacer Jason Gillespie expressed mixed feelings about the outrageous sum of money paid for the Australian quicks, Spencer Johnson being another quick who was signed by GT for ₹10 crore. Though he wasn’t completely comfortable with the amount given to the Australian captain, Gillespie was thrilled for both Starc and Cummins.
According to Gilespie, Cummins might not be the best fast bowler in the game’s shortest format and is more appropriate for Test cricket. We’ve seen that Pat is a strong leader as well as a quality bowler. T20 isn’t his finest format, in my opinion,” Gillespie said on SEN Radio. “In my opinion, he is a Test bowler. I believe that playing Test cricket is his main source of income.”
Cummins, who has amassed 55 wickets at an average of 24.54 and an economy of 7.37 in 50 Twenty20 International matches, was hardly the first player to fetch enormous prices at the IPL auction. KKR had already paid ₹15.5 crore for his services prior to the 2020 edition. “There’s no denying that he’s a decent T20 bowler. However, I think that’s really overs,” Gillespie continued.
Starc overtook his captain to become the most expensive player in IPL history just over an hour after Cummins signed a contract, with Kolkata Knight Riders paying an astounding ₹24.75 crores for the left-armer’s services.
Starc, who has usually prioritised international duty over playing in the IPL, has played only two seasons of the cash-rich league, taking 34 wickets in 27 games at an average of 20.38.
