Ravindra Jadeja today expectedly turned out to be the biggest draw for the franchises with Chennai Super Kings buying the young Indian all-rounder for a whopping Rs 9.72 crore ($2 million) in the players' auction for the fifth edition of the Indian Premier League here.
The 23-year-old, whose base price was $100,000, went to Chennai after the tie-breaker clause was invoked when two teams -- CSK and Deccan Chargers -- bid the maximum ($2 million) for the Saurashtra player.
Both the franchises were asked to bid a secret amount in the tie-breaker and it was Chennai which managed to outbid Deccan in this.
But the cricketer himself will get paid $950,000 as per the contract he had signed with the now-disbanded Kochi Tuskers Kerala last year and even the secret amount that was bid on him by Chennai would go into the BCCI coffers.
Former Sri Lankan captain Mahela Jayawardene, incidentally the KTK captain last season, was also a big draw going to Delhi Daredevils for Rs 6.8 crore ($1.4 million).
Jayawardene will, however, get $1.5 million as per his contract last year.
Among other big gainers at the auction, New Zealand wicketkeeper-batsman Brendon McCullum was bought for $900,000 by Kolkata Knight Riders. McCullum's base price was $400,000.
Indian stumper Parthiv Patel went for $650,000 to Deccan Chargers, which was quite high from his base price of $200,000.
Veteran Indian batsman VVS Laxman, who was a big disappointment during the recent Test series against Australia, went unsold in the auction along with England's James Anderson, Ian Bell, Ravi Bopara and Matt Prior, West Indies' Ramnaresh Sarwan, Adrian Barath and Darren Bravo and South Africa's Mark Boucher.
Sri Lankan spin legend Muttiah Muralitharan, who was with Chennai Super Kings and Kochi in the previous editions, was bought by Royal Challengers Bangalore for Rs 1.06 crore ($220,000).
South Africa's veteran opening batsman Herschelle Gibbs, who was released by Deccan Chargers, fetched Rs 24 lakh ($50,000) from Mumbai Indians, while Australian batsman Brad Hodge was taken by Rajasthan Royals for Rs 2.3 crore ($475,000).
Australian pacer Mitchell Johnson went to Mumbai Indians at his base price of Rs 1.4 crore ($300,000). West Indies Andre Russell fetched $450,000 from the Delhi Daredevils, a substantial hike from his base price of $50,000.
Sri Lankan wicketkeeper-batsman Dinesh Chandimal was turned out to be a bargain buy for Rajasthan Royals, who bought him at his base price of $50,000.
Jadeja was supposed to be the highlight of the auction today and so it turned out to be with almost all franchise placing their bids on the all-rounder.
Ironically, just two years ago, Jadeja was banned for a year after trying to negotiate a deal with Mumbai Indians while still on contract with Rajasthan Royals.
Dubbed the "rockstar" by Australian spin legend and Rajasthan captain-cum-coach Shane Warne, Jadeja was bought by Kochi for $950,000, and he did well by making 283 runs at a strike rate of 124.12, and taking eight wickets at an economy rate of 7.26.
Another big gainer in the auction was Karnataka pacer R Vinay Kumar who was bought by Royal Challengers Bangalore for a whopping $one million against a base price of $100,000.
Pacers R P Singh and S Sreesanth, who were part of India team not so long ago, were bought by Mumbai Indians for $600,000 and by Rajasthan Royals for $400,000 respectively. Their base prices were $200,000 and $400,000.
RP Singh was bought by now defunct Kochi Tuskers Kerala for $500,000 in the IPL auction last year while Sreesanth had fetched $900,000.
Off-spinner Ramesh Powar was bought by Kings XI Punjab for $160,000 against a base price of $100,000 while Australian Brad Hogg was sold to Rajasthan Royals for $180,000 against a base price of $100,000.
The surprise package was rookie West Indian off-spinner Sunil Narine who was bought by Kolkata Knight Riders for $700,000 against a low base price of $50,000.
Those who went unsold in the auction include India's VRV Singh, Englishmen Luke Wright, Owais Shah and Graeme Swann, Bangladeshi Tamim Iqbal, Australian pacer Peter Siddle, South Africans Lonwabo Tsotsobe, Justin Kemp and Vernon Philander, Sri Lankan Upul Tharanga, West Indians Marlon Samuels, Dwayne Smith, Fidel Edwards and Ravi Rampaul, New Zealander Tim Southee and big hitting Irishman Kevin O'Brien.