IPL Auction 2021: Rajasthan Royals buy Chris Morris for Rs 16.25 crore, becomes costliest player ever in IPL

Chennai, February 18: When Royal Challengers Bangalore decided to release Chris Morris, it was more a business call than a cricketing one. After Morris had a reasonable season for them. Morris was the joined second-highest wicket-taker for RCB with 11 wickets 9 matches, identical figures as Mohammad Siraj.

But Morris economy rate of 6.63 set him apart from other bowlers and in the RCB only Washington Sundar had a better rate at 5.96. Morris was taken by the RCB for Rs 10 crore in the last auction after he was released by the Delhi Capitals.

Perhaps, the RCB wanted to buy back him at a cheaper rate. But it did not pan out that way as Morris broke banks to emerge the costliest IPL player in the tournament's history with Rs 16.25 crore, bought by the Rajasthan Royals. Overall, the South African has played 70 IPL matches scoring 551 runs at 156 and taking 80 wickets.

He has overtaken Yuvraj Singh as the costliest IPL player ever. Yuvraj was bought for Rs 16 crore by the Delhi Capitals and that was the highest price till Thursday (February 18). Pat Cummins was the highest paid overseas player in the history of the IPL as Kolkata Knight Riders had bought him in the last auction for Rs 15.5 crore.

Ben Stokes at 14.5 crore too held that honour for some time. Glenn Maxwell nearly overtook in the IPL auction 2021, getting a buy by the Royal Challengers Bangalore for Rs 14.25 crore despite being in poor form for Punjab Kings in the IPL 2020. But Morris beat all of them in nearly 10 minutes of mad rush of money and intense bidding between Royal Challengers Bangalore, Rajasthan Royals, Mumbai Indians, and Punjab Kings.

Moeen Ali and Shivam Dube, came under the all-rounders' category, too bagged big bids from teams.