IPL Auction: Who Are The Most Expensive Uncapped Buys In Indian Premier League History?

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Over the years, the Indian Premier League auction has seen a marquee player earn top buck after extensive bidding, and also the unknown bag huge sums after bidding wars.

The previous editions of IPL auction have seen uncapped players like Krishnappa Gowtham, Krunal Pandya, Pawan Negi and Varun Chakravarthy earn huge bids. These players have later gone on to break into the national team setup.

Since 2014 IPL Auction, many uncapped players have fetched big bids whether at a mega auction or a mini auction. Plus, the addition of new teams joining the cash rich league making it a ten-team tournament, has given more uncapped players opportunity to perform at the highest level.Most expensive uncapped buys in IPL Auctions so far

Over the years marquee players have broken the bank during the IPL Auction, but sometimes the relatively unknown surprise many and hit the jackpot by fetching big bucks. Here we take a look at 10 most expensive uncapped players in IPL.

Most Expensive Uncapped Buys In IPL History

1. Avesh Khan (Lucknow Super Giants) - Rs 10 Crores in 2022
2. Krishnappa Gowtham (Chennai Super Kings) - Rs 9.25 Crore in 2021
3. Shahrukh Khan (Punjab Kings) - Rs 9 Crore in 2022
4. Rahul Tewatia (Gujarat Titans) - Rs 9 Crore in 2022
5. Krunal Pandya (Mumbai Indians) - Rs 8.80 Crore in 2018
6. Pawan Negi (Delhi Daredevils) - Rs 8.50 Crore in 2016
7. Sameer Rizvi (Chennai Super Kings) - Rs 8.40 Crore in 2024
8. Varun Chakravarthy (Kings XI Punjab) - Rs 8.40 Crore in 2019
9. Riley Meredith (Punjab Kings) - Rs 8 Crore in 2021
10. Shahrukh Khan (Gujarat Titans) - Rs 7.40 Crore in 2024

Over the years, relative unknowns have gone on to make the uncapped expensive buys list. But who are they and which year did they fetch the big bids? Here is the year-wise list of the most expensive uncapped players in IPL Auctions since 2014:

IPL 2014 Auction Most Expensive Uncapped Player: Karn Sharma - Sunrisers Hyderabad for Rs 3.75 Crore

Little-known Railways all-rounder Karn Sharma, who bowls leg-spin and bats left-handed, struck gold at the IPL 2014 players' auction, becoming the costliest buy among the uncapped players by fetching a Rs 3.75 crore deal with Sunrisers Hyderabad. Himachal Pradesh all-rounder Rishi Dhawan also fetched a stunning Rs 3 crore bid from Kings XI Punjab.

IPL 2015 Auction Most Expensive Uncapped Player: Shreyas Iyer - Delhi Daredevils for Rs 2.60 Crore

A young batter from Mumbai, Shreyas Iyer fetched the top bid for uncapped players in the 2015 auction. The 20-year-old, who entered the auction with a base price of Rs 10 Lakh, was bought by Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals) for Rs 2.60 Crore.

Also during the auction, Bengaluru's K.C. Cariyappa, who was just 17 years-old also struck a jackpot as he was bought by Kolkata Knight Riders for Rs.2.4 crore.

IPL 2016 Auction Most Expensive Uncapped Player: Pawan Negi - Delhi Daredevils for 8.50 Crore

Pawan Negi was bought by Delhi Daredevils for whopping Rs 8.5 Crores, that made him the costliest Indian uncapped player in IPL, but it came as a huge surprise for many as the Uttarkhand all-rounder was a relative unknown going into the auction with a base price of Rs 30 Lakh.

Also earning big bucks during that auction were Tamil Nadu spinner Murugan Ashwin, who was picked up by Rising Pune Supergiants for Rs 4.50 Crore.

Rajasthan all-rounder Deepak Hooda fetched Rs 4.20 Crore from Sunrisers Hyderabad. Karnataka batter Karun Nair also attracted a Rs 4 Crore bid from Delhi Daredevils, while Rajasthan's Nathu Singh was bought by Mumbai Indians for Rs 3.20 Crore.

IPL 2017 Auction Most Expensive Uncapped Player: T Natarajan - Kings XI Punjab for Rs 3 Crore

Tamil Nadu left-arm pacer T Natarajan was the most expensive uncapped player in the 2017 auction, going for Rs 3 Crore to Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings).

Meanwhile, Hyderabad pacer Mohammad Siraj was bought by Sunrisers Hyderabad for Rs. 2.6 Crore, Rajasthan left-arm seamer Aniket Choudhary went to Royal Challengers Bangalore for Rs. 2 Crore and Karnataka all-rounder K Gowtham was bought by Mumbai for Rs 2 Crore.

IPL 2018 Auction Most Expensive Uncapped Player: Krunal Pandya - Mumbai Indians for Rs 8.80 Crore

The 2018 mega auction saw some big bids for uncapped players with Baroda all-rounder Krunal Pandya, on the back of two good seasons, was retained by Mumbai Indians for a whopping Rs 8.80 Crore, becoming the most expensive uncapped buy in IPL.

Also, making a breakthrough was yet to be capped England pacer Jofra Archer, who fetched Rs 7.20 Crore from Rajasthan Royals. Australia batter D'Arcy Short was rewarded for his batting exploits in the Big Bash League with a Rs 4.4 Crore pay day by Rajasthan Royals.

The 2018 auction also saw some rising Indian talents fetch some big bids with Jharkhand wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan going to Mumbai Indians for Rs 6.20 Crore, Sivam Mavi and Kamlesh Nagarkoti going to Kolkata Knight Riders for Rs 3 Crore and Rs 3.20 Crore respectively.

Meanwhile, Karnataka's Krishnappa Gowtham once again fetched big bid as the all-rounder was bought by Rajasthan Royals for Rs 6.20 Crore. Rajasthan all-rounder Deepak Hooda and Punjab pacer Siddharth Kaul were bought by Sunrisers Hyderabad for Rs 3.60 Crore and Rs 3.80 Crore respectively.

IPL 2019 Auction Most Expensive Uncapped Player: Varun Chakravarthy - Kings XI Punjab for Rs 8.40 Crore

On the back of his performances in TNPL and for Tamil Nadu in the domestic circuit, Varun Chakravarthy, who is a mystery spinner, kicked off a bidding war and finally went to Kings XI Punjab for Rs 8.40 Crore.

Also during the auction, Mumbai all-rounder Shivam Dube was bought by RCB for Rs 5 Crore, while Punjab wicketkeeper-batter Prabhsimran Singh was bought for Rs 4.8 crores by Kings XI Punjab and, former India U19 World Cup winners, Akshdeep Nath was bought for Rs 3.6 crores by RCB.

IPL 2020 Auction Most Expensive Uncapped Player: Varun Chakravarthy - Kolkata Knight Riders for Rs 4 Crore

Despite limited exposure in 2019 following a big money bid, mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy was once again the most expensive uncapped player in the 2020 auction, going to Kolkata Knight Riders for Rs 4 Crore.

Meanwhile, then India U19 stars also fetched some big bucks as Priyam Garg was bought for Rs 1.9 Crore by Sunrisers Hyderabad, who also bought Virat Singh for Rs 1.9 Crore. Kings XI Punjab bought young leggie Ravi Bishnoi for Rs 2 Crore and Rajasthan Royals bought young opener Yashasvi Jaiswal for Rs 2.4 Crore.

IPL 2021 Auction Most Expensive Uncapped Player: Krishnappa Gowtham - Chennai Super Kings for Rs 9.25 Crore

Despite a mediocre season for the KXIP in IPL 2020, playing just 2 games, scoring 42 runs and taking a single wicket, Karnataka all-rounder Krishnappa Gowtham became the most expensive uncapped player, going to CSK for Rs 9.25 Crore.

Also during the auction, Punjab Kings splashed the cash on Australia pacer Riley Meridith (Rs 8 Crore) and Tamil Nadu big-hitting batter Shahrukh Khan (Rs 5 Crore).

IPL 2022 Auction Most Expensive Uncapped Player: Avesh Khan - Lucknow Super Giants for Rs 10 Crore

The 2022 Mega Auction saw Avesh Khan, then uncapped, bagged for Rs 10 Crores by Lucknow Super Giants. With that, he became the most expensive uncapped signing by an IPL team and still remains at the top.

During the same auction, Shahrukh Khan and Rahul Tewatia also bagged big money as they were bought for Rs 9 Crore by Punjab Kings and Gujarat Titans respectively.

IPL 2023 Auction Most Expensive Uncapped Player: Shivam Mavi - Gujarat Titans for Rs 6 Crore

Uttar Pradesh pacer Mavi, who was then uncapped, received the biggest bid among all the uncapped players in the IPL 2023 mini-auction. The 24-year-old seamer was roped in by defending champions Gujarat Titans for Rs 6 Crore, following a bidding war with CSK, Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals.

Bengal pacer Mukesh Kumar was the second biggest uncapped buy as the now capped bowler was picked for Rs 5.50 Crore by Delhi Capitals, who beat Chennai Super Kings and Punjab Kings to the signing.

IPL 2024 Auction Most Expensive Uncapped Player: Sameer Rizvi - Chennai Super Kings for Rs 8.40 Crore

The Uttar Pradesh batter Sameer Rizvi was bought for Rs 8.40 Crore by Chennai Super Kings, who outbid Gujarat Titans and Delhi Capitals to land the player, making him the costliest uncapped buy in IPL Auction 2024.

In the same auction, one familiar face Shahrukh Khan once again triggered a bidding war featuring Gujarat Titans and his former side Punjab Kings with the 2022 champions landing the Tamil Nadu all rounder for Rs 7.40 Crore.

Earlier, Rajasthan Royals was locked in a bidding war with Delhi Capitals for the Vidarbha left-handed batter Shubham Dube, before buying the player at Rs 5.80 Crore.