5 biggest buys in IPL Auction history
The 2021 IPL Auction is just a week away. All franchises have probably finalized the list of players they would target at the upcoming IPL Auction. Every franchise's backroom staff prepares a proper strategy every year wherein they decide the reasonable amount they would bid for a particular player.
However, not every plan can be executed to perfection at the IPL Auction. Eight teams are eligible to bid for a player, resulting in intense bidding wars for some big names. All-rounders generally gain enormous deals at the IPL Auction because they provide a lot of balance to the squads. Also, the impact players are in high demand.
The franchises have surprised fans many times by spending considerable sums of money on just one cricketer. Here's a look at the top five biggest buys in IPL Auction history.
5. Delhi Daredevils signed Dinesh Karthik for ₹12.50 Crores at IPL Auction 2014
In the earlier seasons, the Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals) released most of their players before the IPL Auction. As the team could not perform well on the field, the Delhi-based franchise changed their squad repeatedly, leading to them spending significant amounts on some game-changers.
Dinesh Karthik was one of the names the Delhi Daredevils targeted at the 2014 IPL Auction. They broke the bank to sign the Indian wicket-keeper. Unfortunately, Karthik could not justify his hefty price tag of ₹12.50 Crores.
The right-handed batsman played 14 matches for the Delhi-based franchise, aggregating 325 runs at an average of 23.21. He registered three half-centuries, but the Daredevils could win only two games and finished in the last position.
4. Royal Challengers Bangalore signed Yuvraj Singh for ₹14 Crores at IPL Auction 2014
IPL Auction 2014 was a big payday for two Indian stars. While the Delhi Daredevils signed Dinesh Karthik for ₹12.50 Crores, the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) splurged ₹14 Crores to gain Yuvraj Singh's services. RCB made the then biggest bid in IPL history to sign the 2011 World Cup hero.
Yuvraj Singh scored 376 runs in IPL 2014. It was the most successful season for him as a batsman. Singh had an average of 34.18 and a strike rate of 135.25 while donning the Royal Challengers Bangalore. With his left-arm spin, Yuvraj took five wickets at an economy rate of 8.25.
Unfortunately, the Royal Challengers Bangalore only got to the seventh spot in IPL 2014, winning only five out of 14 matches. RCB released Yuvraj Singh before the next IPL Auction.