The IPL 2025 player retention announcement brought significant excitement, with each team allowed to retain up to six players from their IPL 2024 squad. While many star players were retained for substantial fees, some prominent names chose not to continue with their teams and will instead enter the much-anticipated mega auctions set for late November 2024.
While Heinrich Klaasen, Virat Kohli and Nicholas Pooran are on the list of top retained players by getting paid more than Rs. 20 crores each, here we bring you the list of the top five most expensive players of the IPL history:
1. Mitchell Starc – Rs 24.75 crore
Team: Kolkata Knight Riders
Role: Bowler
KKR acquired Mitchell Starc for a record Rs 24.75 crore in the IPL 2024 auction. Although Mitchell Starc’s season performance was mixed, he proved crucial in KKR’s title-winning run, securing Player of the Match awards in both the Qualifier 1 and the final against Sunrisers Hyderabad. Mitchell Starc finished the season with 17 wickets in 14 matches, playing a vital role for the Shreyas Iyer-led squad.
2. Heinrich Klaasen – Rs 23 crore
Team: Sunrisers Hyderabad
Role: Wicketkeeper-Batsman
Heinrich Klaasen has been a dependable player for SRH, scoring 448 and 479 runs in his last two seasons. Originally joining the team for Rs 5.25 crore in the IPL 2023, his performances prompted SRH to retain him for a significantly higher sum for the IPL 2025.
3. Virat Kohli – Rs 21 crore
Team: Royal Challengers Bangalore
Role: Batter
Virat Kohli has been a mainstay at RCB since the league’s inception, amassing 8004 runs across 252 matches, including eight centuries. Retained for Rs 21 crore, he holds the record as the highest paid player in RCB’s history and completed the IPL 2024 as the league’s top run-scorer.
4. Nicholas Pooran – Rs 21 crore
Team: Lucknow Super Giants
Role: Wicketkeeper-Batter
Nicholas Pooran’s retention for Rs 21 crore reflects his rising value. Initially acquired for Rs 16 crore in the 2023 auction, he went on to score 358 and 499 runs in his last two seasons with the franchise.
5. Pat Cummins – Rs 20.50 crore
Team: Sunrisers Hyderabad
Role: Bowler, Team Captain
Pat Cummins was signed for Rs 20.50 crore in the IPL 2024 auction and appointed the captain of SRH. Under his leadership, SRH finished second in the points table and reached the final. Pat Cummins contributed both with bat and ball, scoring 136 runs and taking 18 wickets over 16 matches.
Did the franchises made correct decision by spending a huge amount on these players? What do you think?
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