The IPL auctions have historically been dominated by overseas players, given that teams can only acquire up to 8 overseas players in their squad during the auction. Now, with the IPL 2025 mega auction all set to take place in a two-day event on November 24 and 25 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, there are multiple players who can spark the bidding war set to go under the hammer, including the most expensive player in the history of the IPL, Mitchell Starc. But before we find out for whom teams will break the bank this time around, let’s take a look at the top five most expensive overseas players in IPL auction in the league’s 17-year-long history. Check IPL 2025 mega auction live updates, biggest buys and full list of sold & unsold players here
Top Five Most Expensive Overseas Players in IPL History
Player | Team | Amount (INR Crore) | Year |
Mitchell Starc | Kolkata Knight Riders | 24.75 | 2024 |
Pat Cummins | SunRisers Hyderabad | 20.5 | 2024 |
Sam Curran | Punjab Kings | 18.5 | 2023 |
Chris Morris | Rajasthan Royals | 16.25 | 2021 |
Ben Stokes | Chennai Super Kings | 16.25 | 2023 |
Mitchell Starc (Kolkata Knight Riders) - Rs 24.75 Crore (2024)
Starc had a decent season with KKR, taking 15 wickets in 13 matches at an average of 24.67, helping KKR lift the IPL trophy after a long wait of 10 years.
Pat Cummins (SunRisers Hyderabad) - Rs 20.50 Crore (2024)
Cummins led SRH to the IPL final in 2024, captaining the side brilliantly. He also picked up 17 wickets in 13 matches at an average of 20.59.
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Sam Curran (Punjab Kings) - Rs 18.50 Crore (2023)
Curran had a good season with Punjab Kings after his acquisition, scoring 317 runs in 14 matches at an average of 26.42 and also picking up 10 wickets at an average of 21.70.
Chris Morris (Rajasthan Royals) - Rs 16.25 Crore (2021)
Morris had a decent season with Rajasthan Royals, scoring 107 runs in 10 matches at an average of 10.70 and also picking up 15 wickets at an average of 15.13.
Ben Stokes (Chennai Super Kings) - Rs 16.25 Crore (2023)
Despite CSK spending a large sum on the English all-rounder, he played only two matches in IPL 2023, scoring 18 runs and taking 1 wicket.