Mitchell Starc became the most expensive player in the IPL as Kolkata Knight Riders shelled out Rs 24.75 crore in the IPL 2024 auction. Starc took 17 wickets and played his part in KKR winning their third IPL title.
In the same IPL auction, Pat Cummins was signed by Sunrisers Hyderabad for Rs 20.50 crore. He led the franchise and took them to the final of the season, where they unfortunately lost to the Knight Riders.
The IPL owners have invested in the winning mentality of the Australian players. The prime example of this was the 2023 ODI World Cup final, when Australia managed to end India’s unbeaten run in the World Cup.
Several rule changes are expected ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auctions. In the recent meeting between the IPL owners and the BCCI, several franchises put forward various suggestions.
In response, the BCCI said it will review the suggestions and take a decision by the end of the month.
Meanwhile, foreign players are a big part of the IPL. Several renowned players have made their careers in T20I using their IPL performances as a benchmark.
Talking about the West Indies, players like Chris Gayle, Kieron Pollard, Dwayne Bravo, Sunil Narine and Andre Russell have played in the league and taken it to new heights.
Among the modern-era Windies players, Nicholas Pooran, Rovman Powell and Alzarri Joseph are among those who play regularly in the league.
In this article, we take a look at five Windies players who can become the most expensive players in IPL history.
Also Read: Complete list of overseas players Chennai Super Kings (CSK) will release ahead of IPL 2025 mega auction
5 West Indies players who can break Mitchell Starc’s record of being the highest-paid player in the IPL auction
Nicolas Pooran
Topping this list is Nicholas Pooran. He scored 499 runs in the previous IPL season for the Lucknow Super Giants. He has played for teams like Punjab Kings and SRH but has repeated his best results for the Super Giants.
With KL Rahul expected to leave LSG, Pooran can be a good option as captain as he has led T20I teams across franchises. However, if LSG releases him, he may end up being the highest-paid player in the league. SRH paid him Rs 10.75 crore in IPL 2022 and LSG signed him for Rs 16 crore in IPL 2023.
Rovman Powell
The captain of the West Indies T20I team played for the Rajasthan Royals. The franchise paid Rs 7.40 crore to bring him into the team. He batted lower down in the franchise’s batting order, due to which his batting potential never came to full fruition.
The Royals are likely to release him, which now opens the door for other franchises to bid for him and make him the most expensive player in the IPL.
Kyle Mayers
Mayers is an all-rounder. His best IPL performance came with LSG in IPL 2023, when he scored 379 runs in 13 matches at a strike rate of 144.11 with 38 fours and 22 sixes.
He replaced Quinton De Kock in the starting lineup and was able to keep him on the bench thanks to his consistency with the bat.
Shamar Jose
Shamar Joseph rose to prominence in international cricket after leading West Indies to a Test match against Australia at The Gabba. His blistering pace earned him an IPL contract with LSG as he was named as Mark Wood’s replacement before the IPL season began.
Pace is always a big asset for any fast bowler. Several franchises are looking for a fast bowler in the IPL 2025 mega auction where they are looking to build the team from scratch. This is where Joseph can fetch huge sums of money.
Shimron Hetmyer
Hetmyer is the last player on this list who can fetch big sums in the IPL mega auction. He is a lower-order batsman who currently plays for the Rajasthan Royals.
He is a specialist in the format and hence is a good candidate for franchises to go for. It will be interesting to see if Rajasthan Royals eventually release him.
Also Read: Watch: Shakib Al Hasan faces criticism for his silence on Bangladesh political crisis during Global T20 Canada 2024
