IPL Auction Records & Salary Rules:
All-Time Most Expensive Buys & Purse Limits
Where franchise dynasties are forged. Explore the multi-crore bidding wars that broke global records, the evolution of team salary purses from ₹20 Cr to ₹120 Cr, and official retention mechanisms.
| Rank | Player | Country | Role | Franchise | Auction Year | Winning Bid (INR) | USD Equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🥇 #1 | Mitchell Starc | Australia | Fast Bowler | Kolkata Knight Riders | 2024 | 24.75 Cr | $2.98M |
| 🥈 #2 | Pat Cummins | Australia | Bowling All-Rounder (Captain) | Sunrisers Hyderabad | 2024 | 20.50 Cr | $2.47M |
| 🥉 #3 | Sam Curran | England | All-Rounder | Punjab Kings | 2023 | 18.50 Cr | $2.25M |
| #4 | Cameron Green | Australia | All-Rounder | Mumbai Indians | 2023 | 17.50 Cr | $2.12M |
| #5 | Ben Stokes | England | All-Rounder | Chennai Super Kings | 2023 | 16.25 Cr | $1.97M |
| #6 | Chris Morris | South Africa | All-Rounder | Rajasthan Royals | 2021 | 16.25 Cr | $2.22M |
| #7 | Nicholas Pooran | West Indies | Wicketkeeper-Batter | Lucknow Super Giants | 2023 | 16.00 Cr | $1.94M |
| #8 | Yuvraj Singh | India | All-Rounder | Delhi Daredevils | 2015 | 16.00 Cr | $2.57M |
| #9 | Ishan Kishan | India | Wicketkeeper-Batter | Mumbai Indians | 2022 | 15.25 Cr | $2.05M |
| #10 | Kyle Jamieson | New Zealand | Fast Bowler | Royal Challengers Bangalore | 2021 | 15.00 Cr | $2.06M |
Purse Limit & Salary Cap
For the 2025–2027 cycle, each franchise has a total purse of ₹120 Crore, with match fees of ₹7.5 lakh per match introduced for playing XI and Impact Players.
Right To Match (RTM) Card
Franchises can retain up to 6 players through direct retention and/or RTM cards. At auction, if an RTM is exercised, the highest bidder gets one final opportunity to raise their bid before the retaining team decides.
Uncapped Player Rule
An Indian player is treated as uncapped if they have not played international cricket (Test, ODI, T20I) in the preceding 5 calendar years or do not hold a BCCI central contract.
Overseas Player Cap
Each squad can have a maximum of 8 overseas players in their 25-man squad, and at most 4 overseas players in the active Playing XI.
Do IPL players get the entire auction bid amount?
Yes, provided they are available for the entire tournament. The auction price represents the player's annual salary for one IPL season. If a player is injured prior to joining the squad, insurance pays the franchise, but the player receives nothing unless contracted under central retention terms. All earnings are subject to applicable Indian income tax (usually deducted at source).
Can IPL teams trade players between seasons?
Yes. The IPL Trade Window operates before every auction, permitting franchises to trade players in one-way cash transfers or player-for-player exchanges. Trades require mutual consent from both franchises and the player (as seen in Hardik Pandya's landmark trade from Gujarat Titans to Mumbai Indians in 2024).