IPL 2018 auction: Highest paid cricketers at the auction every year and how they fared in that year

2009

Kevin Pietersen (7.3 crore) – Royal Challengers Bangalore

Pietersen didn't have the best of starts to his IPL career.

Kevin Pietersen was one of the most sought-after cricketers in 2009. He had built his reputation of being an aggressive batsman who can take the game away from the opposition. He was bought by Royal Challengers Bangalore for a staggering 1.5 million US Dollars.

Pietersen was also appointed the captain of RCB that year. However, he played only 6 games as he left for England duty after the initial stages of the tournament. He scored only 93 runs at a strike-rate of 109.41. Even as captain, he managed to lead RCB to only 2 wins out of the 6 games. Thus, he had a poor season.

However, in 2010 when he returned to play the IPL he did very well, scoring 236 runs in 7 games.

Andrew Flintoff (7.3 crore) – Chennai Super Kings

Flintoff played just 3 games in his IPL career.

Along with his England teammate Kevin Pietersen, Andrew Flintoff was the most expensive player at the auctions in 2009. And it was CSK who acquired the services of England’s premier all-rounder.

Flintoff played only 3 games in that season, which eventually turned out to be the only 3 games of his IPL career. He scored 62 runs in 3 games and picked up 2 wickets.