The IPL Auction 2026 made history once again by bringing in another record buy, which is now the most significantly expensive player from 2008 to 2026. The change of ownership of MS Dhoni in the starting game to that of Cameron Green and Rishabh Pant in the latest ones depicts that the franchises’ amounts have increased significantly.
Big Money Evolution (2008–2026)
The very first IPL auction in 2008 started off with MS Dhoni, the first player being sold at a price of around ₹9.5 crore, which was bid by Chennai Super Kings. This not only influenced the future auctions but also made future years very tough, as the competition among large franchises began.
With the passage of time, the graph of pre-auction prices jumped significantly, as franchises’ budgets increased. The fiscal power of the IPL was such that in 2024–2025, the ceilings of auction prices were redefined first by Mitchell Starc (₹24.75 crore) and then by Rishabh Pant (₹27 crore to LSG), thereby proving the IPL’s ability to create high economic demand.
New Heights in 2026
At the IPL 2026 auction held in Abu Dhabi, the Kolkata Knight Riders selected Cameron Green (Australian all-rounder) with the highest bid at the event: ₹25.20 crores, which was the record price for any non-Indian player at the IPL, and an indication of how much teams are beginning to place faith in new Indian talent, including two uncapped players.
Most Expensive IPL players (select years)
| Year | Player | Team | Price (₹ crore) |
| 2008 | MS Dhoni | CSK | 9.5 |
| 2011 | Gautam Gambhir | KKR | 14.9 |
| 2015 | Yuvraj Singh | Delhi Daredevils | 16 |
| 2024 | Mitchell Starc | KKR | 24.75 |
| 2025 | Rishabh Pant | LSG | 27 |
| 2026 | Cameron Green | KKR | 25.2 |
Also read: IPL Auction 2026: From Auqib Nabi, Prashant Veer to Kartik Sharma- Top 5 Costliest Uncapped Players
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