IPL 2020: MS Dhoni and other most expensive Indian players over the years

The Indian Premier League is touted to be the most lucrative cricket league in the world. The concept of auctions was introduced in cricket through the league and it added another dimension to the game. With the league scheduled to begin in less than a month, let's look at the Indian players who have made the most 'Moolah' as part of the cash-rich league over the years.

MS Dhoni (CSK, 2008) - ₹6 crore

The first edition of the auction was a little different from the ones we witness now. All the franchises barring Chennai Super Kings had an icon player on their side. Rahul Dravid for RCB, Sachin Tendulkar for Mumbai Indians, Sourav Ganguly for Kolkata Knight Riders and so on. Those names did not go under the hammer but were supposed to get 15% extra of the highest bid won by franchises.

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With CSK having no icon player, they pipped Mumbai Indians to pick up MS Dhoni for ₹6 crore ($1.5 million back then), making the most expensive player in the IPL 2008 auction. The wicket-keeper batsman has led the side to 3 IPL championships and currently earns ₹15 crore per season with CSK.

Gautam Gambhir (KKR, 2011) - ₹11.04 crore

Spending extra money for Gautam Gambhir proved to be miraculous for Kolkata Knight Riders. The team went in the IPL 2011 auction with a clean slate to revamp the team. Reportedly, KKR had a bidding war with the now-defunct Kochi Tuskers Kerala for Gambhir but won it eventually. Under the left-hander's captaincy, the franchise claimed the IPL championship twice, in 2012 and 2014. 

Ravindra Jadeja (CSK, 2012) - ₹9.72 crore

The Indian all-rounder was very much in demand during the 2012 auctions. CSK emerged victorious over 2009 champions Deccan Chargers in a tie-breaker after a $2 million bid (₹9.72 crore) for him and later emerged victorious. Ravindra Jadeja is still is a part of the CSK unit, drawing a ₹7 crore salary per season.

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Abhishek Nayar (Pune Warriors India, 2013) - ₹3.6 crore

Riding on an impressive Ranji trophy season for Mumbai, Nayar took everyone by surprise as he emerged as the most expensive Indian player in the IPL 2013 auction, having been picked up by another defunct franchise, Pune Warriors India at ₹3.6 crore. Nayar currently coaches KKR in the IPL.

Yuvraj Singh (Royal Challengers Bangalore, 2014) - ₹14 crore

In 2014, while many were tempted to believe in Yuvraj Singh reaching the twilight of his career, the dashing Indian all-rounder was snapped up by RCB for a whopping ₹14 crore, a then Indian record. Yuvraj beat the second-best Dinesh Karthik, for whom Delhi Capitals won a ₹12.5 crore bid,

Yuvraj Singh (Delhi Daredevils, 2015) - ₹16 crore

In an attempt to turn things around for them, the Delhi franchise went higher than their bid for Karthik in the IPL 2014 auction by picking up Yuvraj Singh in the 2015 IPL auctions for a jaw-dropping ₹16 crore deal. 

Pawan Negi (Delhi Daredevils, 2016) - ₹8.5 crore

The young left-arm spinner grabbed a lot of eyeballs at the 2016 IPL auctions. The Delhi-based franchise went all out for Negi, who was a part of the CSK camp prior to the auctions. Earning a handsome ₹8.5 crore, he surprisingly emerged as the most expensive Indian player at the auction.

Jaydev Unadkat (Rajasthan Royals, 2018 & 2019) - ₹11.5 crore and ₹8.4 crore respectively

The left-arm pacer drew big money in the 2018 IPL auctions after his bid touched the ₹11.5 crore mark. However, he did not live up to the expectations of the franchise as they released him ahead of the IPL 2020 auctions. Even then, Unadkat proved to be the biggest Indian draw even in the 2019 IPL auctions, as the Royals picked him up for ₹8.4 crore. 

Piyush Chawla (CSK, 2020) - ₹6.75 crore

The veteran leg-spinner proved his worth in the IPL 2020 auctions as he was scalped by the CSK team. Chawla will bring his years of experience into the Chennai side. He is set to fight for a place in the team with spinners like Harbhajan Singh, Sai Kishore, Karn Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja. 

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IPL 2020: Dates yet to be revealed

The league is slated to commence from September 19 and end on November 10. Considering the COVID-19 situation, this edition will be held in the UAE. All the franchises must comply with the stringent guidelines and SOPs laid out by the BCCI.

Several players from the above list will be a part of the IPL 2020 and it will be noteworthy to see them perform in the league once again after being such big draws over the years.

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Image credit: IPL T20