RCB IPL auction history: Costliest players, ₹1,450 crore spent, Virat Kohli’s 18-year journey, and 2025 IPL triumph. Photo: ANI.
RCB Season-Wise List of Costliest Players: The Indian Premier League (IPL), one of the most-watched cricket leagues in the world. It features ten franchises representing different cities and states across India. IPL’s appeal lies not only in top-tier cricketing talent but also in the high-profile bidding wars that often lead to headline-making purchases for the most expensive players in tournament history.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have experienced a long, eventful journey at the IPL auction table. Known for their aggressive spending patterns, the franchise has consistently remained one of the most active bidders since the league’s start.
From the inaugural season in 2008 to finally lifting their maiden IPL trophy in 2025, RCB’s auction strategy has undergone constant evolution. Nearly every year, the team made at least one major purchase, and on three occasions, their highest bid also stood as the most expensive buy of that season.
Also Read: IPL 2026 Auction: Top 3 Bowlers Every Franchise Wants to Sign
RCB frequently prioritised heavy investment in batting talent while struggling to maintain a stable bowling lineup. Despite having some of the biggest stars in the league, the coveted IPL trophy eluded them for almost two decades.
At the centre of this long-standing journey has been Virat Kohli, the face of the franchise. Kohli remains the only cricketer to represent a single IPL team for 18 consecutive seasons.
Over these 18 years, RCB spent ₹1,450 crore on player salaries and auction purchases. Notably, in the 2025 season alone, the franchise invested ₹82.25 crore, reflecting their continued high-value approach.
This list includes only players purchased at auctions. Retained players, traded players, and icon players from 2008 to 2010 are excluded.
| Year | Player | Price (INR) |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Jacques Kallis | ₹3.8 crore |
| 2009 | Kevin Pietersen | ₹9.8 crore |
| 2010 | Eoin Morgan | ₹1.1 crore |
| 2011 | Saurabh Tiwary | ₹7 crore |
| 2012 | Vinay Kumar | ₹5.3 crore |
| 2013 | Jaydev Unadkat | ₹2.83 crore |
| 2014 | Yuvraj Singh | ₹14 crore |
| 2015 | Dinesh Karthik | ₹10.5 crore |
| 2016 | Shane Watson | ₹9.5 crore |
| 2017 | Tymal Mills | ₹12 crore |
| 2018 | Chris Woakes | ₹7.4 crore |
| 2019 | Shivam Dube | ₹5 crore |
| 2020 | Chris Morris | ₹10 crore |
| 2021 | Kyle Jamieson | ₹15 crore |
| 2022 | Wanindu Hasaranga | ₹10.75 crore |
| 2023 | Will Jacks | ₹3.2 crore |
| 2024 | Alzarri Joseph | ₹11.50 crore |
| 2025 | Josh Hazlewood | ₹12.50 crore |
Also Read: IPL 2026 Auction: Season-Wise List of Mumbai Indians’ Costliest Players (2008–2025)
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
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