The IPL auction for the 2023 season ended yesterday. The franchises signed some of the best talents in the world. Particularly English players were in high demand.
In both white-ball competitions (the World Cup in 2019 and the T20 World Cup in 2022), England is the current world champion. England has made a conscious effort to shift their strategy to one that is more aggressive ever since its disastrous World Cup performance in 2015.
Eoin Morgan, the captain of the team that won the World Cup, has credited the IPL for the team’s success in major tournaments. The tournament’s development process, according to the former England cricketer, is massive.
In light of this, let’s take a look at the three English players who have cost the most in tournament history.
#1 Sam Curran
The 23-year-old English all-rounder Sam Curran set all records and became the tournament’s most expensive player. The Punjab Kings paid 18.50 crores for him. In 2019, he made his debut for the franchise, which he returned to.
In 2019, Curran’s time with the Punjab Kings was promising. He played nine games, scoring 55* off just 24 deliveries against the Kolkata Knight Riders and taking a hat trick against the Delhi Capitals. However, he was let go in the following season, and CSK bought the all-rounder after that.
Curran put in solid performances for the “Yellow Army” in both the 2020 and 2021 seasons. He struck out 22 batters at an economy rate of just under 9 runs per over and scored 242 runs at a strike rate of 142. The team led by Mahendra Singh Dhoni used him as a floater.
He took 13 wickets at an economy rate of close to 6 runs per over, primarily bowling at the death, and was named Player of the Tournament at the recent ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
#2 Ben Stokes
Ben Stokes, captain of England in Test matches, has appeared twice on this list. He was finished with paperwork for a faltering ₹14.5 crores by the Rising Pune Supergiants in IPL 2017. He scored 316 runs at a strike rate of 143 and took 12 wickets at an economy rate of 7.18 runs per over during a stellar season.
After he joined the Rajasthan Royals, he had a bad IPL season in 2018 and a bad IPL season in 2019. However, he had a good bat season in 2020, scoring 285 runs in 8 innings and striking out 143 times.
He was harmed in the principal round of IPL 2021, precluding him until the end of the time. He opted out of the auction in 2022 because he prioritized playing the Test.
The Chennai Super Kings paid the most for Ben Stokes in tournament history—16.25 crore rupees—when they signed him. When MS Dhoni retires, he might become their captain.
#3 Harry Brook
Sunrisers Hyderabad paid a record 13.25 crore rupees for Yorkshire batsman Harry Brook, making him their most expensive IPL acquisition. Brook was a member of the England team that won the T20 World Cup.
He has yet to play in the IPL. In domestic leagues and T20 internationals, he has demonstrated tremendous potential. Ben Stokes has likened him to Virat Kohli because of how well his technique can work in all formats and make him a potential sports superstar.