IPL Auction 2020: Pat Cummins, Glenn Maxwell and other most expensive purchases in Kolkata-hosted event

Australia’s Pat Cummins became the most expensive overseas buy ever in the Indian Premier League when the Kolkata Knight Riders paid a staggering Rs 15.5 crore ($2.18 million) for the fast bowler in Thursday’s auction in Kolkata.

File image of Pat Cummins. Reuters

The 26-year-old, ranked number one in tests, attracted an intense bidding war between the Virat Kohli-led Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and the Delhi Capital before Kolkata joined in to bag his services for the 2020 edition of the tournament.

Cummins was part of the Kolkata squad in 2014 and 2015 and last played in the tournament for Delhi in 2017. The Mumbai Indians picked him up the following season but he was ruled out with a back injury.

England all-rounder Ben Stokes was the most expensive overseas buy before Cummins when Pune paid Rs 14.5 crore in 2017 while Yuvraj Singh, the hero of India’s 2011 World Cup triumph, got the highest bid for a home-based player of Rs 16 crore in 2015 from Delhi.

There was a hefty payday for more Australians on Thursday with all-rounder Glenn Maxwell going to Kings XI Punjab for Rs 10.75 crore ($1.51 million) while reigning champions Mumbai paid Rs 8 crore for paceman Nathan Coulter-Nile.

Here's a look at ten of the most expensive buys from the player auction for the 2020 edition of the IPL:

Pat Cummins (Kolkata Knight Riders, Bowler, Rs 15.5 crore)

Glenn Maxwell (Kings XI Punjab, All-Rounder, Rs 10.75 crore)

Chris Morris (Royal Challengers Bangalore, All-Rounder, Rs 10 crore)

Sheldon Cottrell (Kings XI Punjab, Bowler, Rs 8.5 crore)

Nathan Coulter Nile (Mumbai Indians, Bowler, Rs 8 crore)

Shimron Hetmyer (Delhi Capitals, Batsman, Rs 7.75 crore)

Piyush Chawla (Chennai Super Kings, Bowler, Rs 6.75 crore)

Sam Curran (Chennai Super Kings, All-Rounder, Rs 5.5 crore)

Eoin Morgan (Kolkata Knight Riders, Batsman, Rs 5.25 crore)

Marcus Stoinis (Delhi Capitals, All-Rounder, Rs 4.8 crore)

With inputs from Reuters