IPL: 5 costliest South African players in the history of IPL 

The IPL auction is something that is often derided in certain quarters since it might look a bit hard on players who do not get bids but at the end of the day, it is a system that has worked perfectly over the past eleven years.

Although teams have often overpaid for players, the final winning bids are a reflection of the demand for the skills that a player brings to the table. South Africans have been a major part of the IPL ever since it started and many of those players have attracted monstrous bids from different franchises over the years.

Note: Only the players that have been bought at the auction have been considered for the list and not those retained before the auction.

Here is a look at 5 of the costliest Proteas in the IPL so far:

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#5 Kagiso Rabada to Delhi Daredevils- $769,000 (approximately)

When the South African pace prodigy made his debut in 2015 and took a hattrick in his debut ODI, there was little doubt that Kagiso Rabada was going to end up being one of the best fast bowlers in the world. He was not part of the auction process in 2016 but when he threw his hat into the ring in 2017, the fast bowler had grown a lot as a bowler.

Hence there was no surprise when Rabada’s name instigated a frenetic round of bidding. In the end, he was snapped up by Delhi Daredevils for 5 crores INR, which amounts to around $769,000 according to the latest exchange rates. Needless to say, he was retained by Delhi Daredevils ahead of the 2018 auctions and it seems he is going to be a player who will serve them well for many seasons to come.

#4 Jean-Paul Duminy to Mumbai Indians- $950,000

When Jean-Paul Duminy first played Test cricket for South Africa back in the Australian summer of 2008-09, he became an overnight sensation following his superb shows in one of the toughest places to tour. Naturally, he was regarded as one of the hottest talents in the world at the time and the events at the 2009 IPL auction did not disappoint. Almost all teams must have been interested in his services and before long the bidding went through the roof.

In the end, Mumbai Indians acquired him with the winning bid of $950,000 and made him one of the most expensive South African players ever. Although he did not find as much success at Mumbai Indians, he did better once he moved to Delhi Daredevils. For 2018, he is back playing for Mumbai Indians.

#3 Jacques Kallis to Kolkata Knight Riders- $1.1 million

The former South African great’s all-round skills were legendary and it was no surprise that Jacques Kallis was in demand even when he had got on a bit in terms of age. Kolkata Knight Riders had been a bit of a laughing stock during the early years of the IPL but in 2011, they decided to remodel their team around a core group of players.

Their intent was there for all to see as they spent heavily on the very first morning and one of the players that they went for was Jacques Kallis. His experience, dual skills and ability to bat at the top order and open bowling made him the ideal choice. Although Kallis was in high demand, KKR were in no mood to relent and acquired him for $1.1 million when the hammer finally went down.

#2 AB de Villiers to Royal Challengers Bangalore- $1.1 million

The IPL is littered with instances of blunders on the part of the franchises but nothing quite comes close to the Delhi Daredevils’ decision to not retain AB de Villiers, who had played for them from 2008 to 2010. The South African superstar was probably the best batsman in the world at the time and one of the most inventive hitters in limited overs cricket.

As a consequence, it was not a surprise that other franchises were queueing up for his services and in a round of quick bidding, the price soon rose. In the end, the Royal Challengers Bangalore acquired him for a cool $1.1 million and in the process made him one of the most expensive South African players in the history of the IPL.

#1 Dale Steyn to Deccan Chargers- $1.2 million

The speed demon was at the peak of his power in the early years of the IPL and after his initial stint at Royal Challenger Bangalore, Dale Steyn was back in the auction pool back in 2011. At that time, he was the world’s best fast bowler and had been known to blow teams away in a spell or two quite frequently.

So when he became available in the 2011 auction, plenty of teams came up with bids and in the end, it was the erstwhile Deccan Chargers who managed to come up with the winning bid of $1.2 million. It remains the highest amount of money ever bid for a South African player.