After a two-season ban from the Indian Premier League (IPL), Chennai Super Kings (CSK) returned to ace the auction in 2018. Defeating the perception that T20 is a format for the young, they bet on experienced warhorses at the fag end of their careers, earning the moniker of Dad’s Army. In the four seasons that followed, they walked away with two titles.
In the final part of the series, we look at the best picks from the IPL auctions between 2018 and 2021.
Read More: Part 1 (2008-12) | Part 2 (2013-17)
IPL 2018 Mega Auction
CSK pick Faf du Plessis for INR 1.6 crores (Base INR 1.5 crores): Returning to the tournament after a two-year ban, CSK picked up their old stalwart du Plessis. He played several critical knocks over the next four seasons at various positions and helped them win two more titles (2018 and 2021).
CSK pick Ambati Rayudu for INR 2.2 crores (Base INR 50 lakhs): After spending several seasons with Mumbai Indians, Rayudu found a new home in CSK to emerge as a force in 2018. Another floater like du Plessis, the experienced Rayudu played essential roles in CSK’s 2018 and 2021 title triumphs.
CSK pick Shane Watson for INR 4 crores (Base INR 1 crore): To further enhancing their Dad’s Army tag, CSK shelled INR 4 crores for 37-year-old Watson, who had retired from international cricket. He was the force behind CSK’s title win in 2018, scoring at nearly 40 and striking at 155. He became the second cricketer to score a century in the IPL final. He retired after the 2020 edition.
CSK pick Imran Tahir for INR 1 crore (Base INR 1 crore): CSK picked Tahir, then 39, at his base price of INR 1 crore. He did not play enough in 2018, but won the Purple Cap in 2019. His experience played a significant role in guiding several younger spinners in the CSK camp.
CSK pick Dwayne Bravo for INR 6.4 crores (Base INR 2 crores): CSK went all out to get back their old stalwart despite him hitting the mid-30s. Bravo did not disappoint, proving his worth as a finisher and death bowler, contributing in their two title wins after 2018.
SRH pick Kane Williamson for INR 3 crores (Base INR 1.5 crores): Sunrisers Hyderabad placed faith in Williamson once again, getting him back for INR 3 crores. Taking a leaf out of Cricket Australia’s book, SRH suspended Warner for a year for his role in ball-tampering. Williamson took over the captaincy, guiding SRH to the final. He filled the Warner void with 735 runs and won the Orange Cap.
Despite captaincy changing hands frequently for SRH in the next three seasons, Williamson played a vital part. Letting go of Warner in 2021, SRH retained Williamson for a whopping INR 14 crores per season.
KXIP (now Punjab Kings) pick K.L. Rahul for INR 11 crores (Base INR 2 crores): Rahul's trysts with injuries had chequered the progress of his IPL career until 2018, when he played with more freedom. There was little doubt over his talent, and Punjab spent INR 11 crores to secure his services. Though Rahul’s presence did not ensure a top-four finish in the four editions, he remained their saving grace for all these years.
In 2018, Rahul smashed the fastest IPL fifty, off just 14 balls. He finished with over 600 runs in each of 2018, 2020 and 2021, winning the Orange Cap in 2020. In 2019, he missed the 600-mark by seven runs. He remains Punjab’s most prolific batter, with 2,548 runs at almost 57, striking at 140.
Requesting a release from Punjab, Rahul will lead the new franchise Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in 2022, where he will pocketed INR 17 crores per season, making him the joint highest-paid player in the tournament’s history.
KXIP pick Mayank Agarwal for INR 1 crore (Base INR 20 lakhs): Uncapped and priced at INR 20 lakhs at that point, Agarwal was nabbed by Punjab for a crore. Along with Rahul, Agarwal has been their batting backbone, taking early risks to maximise the Powerplay overs. He and Rahul have added 1,731 runs for Punjab, at over 52.
Punjab retained Agarwal for INR 14 crores per season. He is likely to lead them in 2022.
DD (now Delhi Capitals) pick Prithvi Shaw for INR 1.2 crores (Base INR 20 lakhs): Fresh from an Under-19 World Cup triumph as captain, 18-year-old Shaw had more good news in store as Delhi picked him for INR 1.2 crores.
Shaw was among the reasons behind Delhi’s incredible turnaround, as he kept providing them brisk starts. In 2021, he scored at 32, striking at over 159. They have retained him with a salary of INR 7.5 crores per season.
DD pick Avesh Khan for INR 70 lakhs (Base INR 20 lakhs): Avesh made sporadic appearances for Delhi until he emerged as a force in the 2021 edition, where he ended the tournament as one of the best bowlers. Strong, fast and skilful, 25-year-old Avesh will be one of the most in-demand players in the 2022 auction.
DD pick Kagiso Rabada for INR 4.2 crores (Base INR 1.5 crores): One of the finest contemporary bowlers, Rabada repaid Delhi’s faith in him with two incredible seasons when he picked 55 wickets from just 29 matches, winning the Purple Cap in 2020. Not retained for 2022, and is expected to be among the top draws.
MI pick Ishan Kishan for INR 6.2 crores (Base INR 40 lakhs): MI bagged 19-year-old Kishan for INR 6.2 crores. That gave them a versatile option as he was used as an opener, floater, and at times, a wicketkeeper. He had a stellar 2020 edition, where he scored over 500 runs at 57, striking at 146. MI ended up defending their title that season.
Kishan’s set to attract massive bids in the 2022 auctions.
MI pick Suryakumar Yadav for INR 3.2 crores (Base INR 30 lakhs): Bagging local man Suryakumar for over 10 times his base price was a masterstroke by MI. His experience of playing in the Wankhede Stadium certainly helped. Unlike Kolkata Knight Riders, MI promoted Suryakumar up the order. That paid them great dividends as he finished with over 400 runs in three consecutive seasons. His IPL shows also earned him the national cap last year.
A vital part of the national setup, Suryakumar has been retained by MI for INR 8 crores per season.
RR pick Sanju Samson for INR 8 crores (Base INR 1 crore): Returning to the tournament after a two-year-ban, Rajasthan Royals emptied INR 8 crores from their purse to ensure Samson returned to them. Samson has been one of RR’s mainstays and was appointed the captain in the 2021 season.
Samson is one of the three players retained by RR for 2022 for a whopping salary of INR 14 crores per season.
RR pick Jos Buttler for INR 4.4 crores (Base INR 1.5 crores): At INR 4.4 crores, RR made one of their best picks ever in Buttler. He emerged as inarguably the best batter in their history, scoring at over 41 at a strike rate of 152. A wicketkeeper who can open and finish with equal efficiency, he remains a good leadership option for them.
Buttler has been retained by RR for INR 10 crores per season.
RR pick Jofra Archer for INR 40 lakhs (Base INR 7.2 crores): RR made another stellar pick in the still-uncapped Archer. They paid 18 times his base price, and it was worth every penny. One of the finest pacers in recent times, Archer was the MVP in 2020. Apart from his 46 wickets for RR, going at just over seven, he has also struck at over 157. He missed the 2021 season due to injuries.
IPL 2019 Auction
DC pick Axar Patel for INR 5 crores (Base INR 1 crore): DC made a strategic move by bagging Axar for INR 5 crores. Axar’s economy has been 6.7 for DC in the last three seasons. To give a perspective, Glenn McGrath, who played in 2008 for Delhi, picked 14 wickets that season at an economy of 6.6. No other bowler with more wickets has a better economy for Delhi. They have retained Axar for INR 9 crores.
DC pick Anrich Nortje for INR 20 lakhs (Base INR 20 lakhs): Fast, accurate and sharp, Nortje is a dream bowler for any franchise. At INR 20 lakhs, they got one of their best players. Nortje had stellar seasons in 2020 and 2021, where at times, he even outclassed his South African teammate Rabada. In 2022, DC retained Nortje, for INR 6.5 crores, ahead of Rabada.
SRH pick Jonny Bairstow for INR 2.2 crores (Base INR 1.5 crores): One of the best batters against the white ball, Bairstow’s arrival to IPL was awaited with much anticipation. SRH replaced Shikhar Dhawan with Bairstow, who immediately lit up the tournament 445 runs at 56, striking at over 157. He also made decent contributions in the next two seasons and will be among the top draws in IPL 2022 auctions.
CSK pick Ruturaj Gaikwad for INR 20 lakhs (Base INR 20 lakhs): Already a consistent performer for Maharashtra at 22, Gaikwad was picked by CSK at base price. He did not get a game in 2019. A season later, he became the first IPL player to contact Covid-19. Despite that start, he made amends with some brilliant knocks in 2020 before going on to win the Orange Cap in 2021. He was among the stars that won the tournament for CSK.
Gaikwad’s IPL success saw him earn the India cap and be retained by CSK for INR 6 crores per season.
IPL 2020 Auction
KKR pick Varun Chakravarthy for INR 4 crores (Base INR 30 lakhs): Chakravarthy’s rise as a cricketer is no less than a fairy tale. In KKR, he found the perfect franchise, emerging as a force in the 2020 season. His productive 2020 and 2021 also saw him earn the national cap. He has been retained by the franchise for INR 8 crores.
DC pick Marcus Stoinis for INR 4.8 crores (Base INR 1 crore): Stoinis was the all-rounder DC had longed for. After a promising 2019 as a finisher, he was one of their top players in 2020, where they finished runners-up. He picked 13 wickets that season and scored over 350 runs at 149, and has been signed by LSG in 2022 for INR 9.2 crores.
IPL 2021 Auction
CSK pick Moeen Ali for INR 7 crores (Base INR 2 crores): Moeen became a fantastic addition to the CSK contingent in 2021. Used as a floater in the line-up, Moeen’s bowling also played a role in CSK’s title win that season. He has been retained by the franchise for INR 8 crores per season.
RCB pick Glenn Maxwell for INR 14.25 crores (Base INR 2 crores): Maxwell had a disastrous 2020 IPL, but found form in international cricket right after the tournament. RCB made a big call to spend huge bucks on him. Promoted above A.B. de Villiers, Maxwell’s entry in RCB did pay dividends as he was their best player of the season, getting over 500 runs at a strike rate of over 144. The franchise retained him for a salary of INR 11 crores per season.
KKR pick Venkatesh Iyer for INR 20 lakhs (Base INR 20 lakhs): From being an unknown entity to playing for India, Iyer’s life changed within two months. One of the many fringes in the KKR side, he was brought in to open batting in the second leg of the 2021 edition. He aced the UAE conditions, getting 370 runs from 10 outings. He also contributed with medium-pace bowling.
Making his IPL debut in September, he was playing for India by November. In fact, KKR have retained him for INR 8 crores, ahead of the rising star Shubman Gill.