Indian Premier League: Mini-auction and a look at the five most expensive players

The IPL mini-auction like many others in the past did not disappoint; Moreover, there's a compelling argument to be made that this was the most exciting mini-auction ever. 

The record for the most expensive player before this auction – Chris Morris for Rs. 16.25 crore – was surpassed twice and equalled once, showing how far teams were willing to go to get the desired players. 

Here we look at the five most expensive buys and why they fetched as much money as they did from the team that purchased their services. 

Sam Curran, Rs. 18.50 crore to Punjab Kings – Going into the 2023 auction, many backed Sam Curran to be among the most expensive buys as there was an expectation that he would be gearing up for a homecoming to the Chennai Super Kings to replace the recently retired Dwayne Bravo. 

He did get a homecoming – but it was to the Punjab Kings, the team he started his IPL career with. CSK were in the race to sign him but were eventually outpriced by a Punjab side with more money to spare. 

How the team accommodates Curran into the playing XI needs to be clarified since their four foreigners last year were set in stone. But given Curran is an excellent death bowler and a handy lower-order bat, it makes sense that Punjab went so big for him. 

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">OH YES!!! <br><br>Break the BANK! 💰💰<br><br>Sam Curran is SOLD for a whopping INR 18.50 Crore to the PUNJAB KINGS <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TATAIPLAuction?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TATAIPLAuction</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/TataCompanies?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TataCompanies</a></p>&mdash; IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) <a href="https://twitter.com/IPL/status/1606226677322764288?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 23, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Cameroon Green, Rs. 17.50 crore to Mumbai Indians – Given Kieron Pollard's retirement and his transition into a coaching role, MI were always going into the auction looking for a replacement all-rounder. And they got one in Cameroon Green, the Australian youngster who did well in a series against India. 

Green was another player targeted by multiple teams, but his expected destination was the Delhi Capitals, given coach Ricky Ponting had publicly stated their intention to go after him. They did just that but were eventually outpriced by the Mumbai outfit. 

And it is easy to see why – Green can bat anywhere in the batting order and can give you up to 4 overs on a good day too. He also has age on his side and can potentially be a cornerstone of the team for years to come. 

Ben Stokes, Rs. 16.25 crore to Chennai Super Kings – When it became known that Ben Stokes was available for the auction, everyone predicted he would go for big money, and they were not to be disappointed in the least, as he equalled that infamous bid for Chris Morris. 

Stokes' destination – CSK – makes sense when you remember that skipper MS Dhoni is probably playing his last IPLs in 2023 and 2024, so they will need a leadership option, and Stokes provides that in spades. 

He's also a replacement for Dwayne Bravo and has the experience and match-winning pedigree to transform a side that finished ninth in the table last year into an instant title challenger through sheer force of will alone. 

Nicholas Pooran, Rs. 16 crore to Lucknow Super Giants – When Sunrisers Hyderabad released Nicholas Pooran into the auction pool, the team felt he was too expensive at a contract of over ten crores. So imagine everyone's surprise when he bagged a 16 crore contract from Lucknow Super Giants. 

However, apart from being the fourth-most expensive buy of the auction, it is also the most puzzling move of the lot. Where does he fit in, given the team already have Quinton de Kock as a foreign wicketkeeper? 

If he plays as an all-rounder – remember, he started bowling some half-decent off-spin earlier this year – it would still be an understandable move but the price paid means LSG have to accommodate him. You can't pay 16 crores for a backup, after all! 

Harry Brook, Rs. 13.25 crore to Sunrisers Hyderabad – The first big bid of the day came, unsurprisingly, for a player who has impressed a lot in recent times and is earmarked as a star of the future in English cricket – and who is also already a world champion in T20s. 

Brook has impressed not only for the England team but also in The Hundred, the Big Bash League, and the Pakistan Super League – even becoming a title winner with the Lahore Qalandars. His hard-hitting style and ability to score big runs make him a good get for Sunrisers. 

He also has age on his side, which means he can well be a player the franchise chooses to build around for years to come. Assuming he isn't released in the upcoming 2024 auction, of course.