Sam Curran overtakes Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni to become IPL's most expensive player

England all-rounder Sam Curran has become the most expensive player in the Indian Premier League (IPL) after the Punjab Kings (PBKS) bought him for a mind-boggling sum of ₹18.5 crore following an intense bidding war during the mini-auction on Friday, December 23.

PBKS had to thwart attempts from the Mumbai Indians (MI) as well as a meek attempt by the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at the auction table, to get a hold of the all-rounder.

Additionally, Sam Curran also became the biggest acquisition in the history of the IPL auction, overtaking Chris Morris' record when the Rajasthan Royals (RR) had bid ₹16.25 crore in the 2021 mini-auction.

The young all-rounder has also become the most expensive Englishman in the competition, overtaking Ben Stokes' existing ₹14.25 crore price tag.

Sam Curran's stakes rose following a stellar campaign for England at the T20 World Cup 2022, where he was adjudged the Player of the Tournament after taking 13 wickets. He poses as a wily left-arm bowler, who can bowl with the new ball as well as the death. He also presents himself as a handy batter in the lower-middle order.

The all-rounder had skipped the previous edition of the IPL after choosing to dedicate the time frame to recover from an injury.

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Sam Curran was part of the Punjab franchise in 2019

The all-rounder has already plied his trade for the Punjab franchise, back when it was known as the Kings XI Punjab in the 2019 season.

In what was his maiden IPL campaign, he finished with 95 runs and 10 wickets, which included a hat-trick against the Delhi Capitals (DC).

He then moved on to the Chennai Super Kings, where he plied his trade for two seasons. He played a pivotal role in the franchise's title-winning campaign in 2021.

Will the all-rounder be a defining player for PBKS in the upcoming edition? Let us know what you think.

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