On Friday, Sam Curran, an all-rounder for the England national cricket team, became the most expensive player in IPL history when the Punjab Kings purchased him for Rs 18.50 crore. South African all-rounder Chris Morris fetched Rs 16.25 crore at the 2021 IPL auction, making him the highest-priced player in IPL history.
He used to play with the big guys at an early age because he was juggling school and county cricket at the age of 16. After years of hard work, the 24-year-old English all-rounder won the T20 World Cup last month. He received the largest paycheck of any player in the Indian Premier League auctions.
Highest auction in 2023
The Punjab Kings spent a record Rs 18.50 crore to get Curran, making him the priciest player ever sold in an IPL auction. He earned more from Rajasthan Royals than Chris Morris (Rs. 16.25 crore). Cameron Green, an all-rounder from Australia, and Ben Stokes, a standout from England, both broke records. The Mumbai Indians acquired Green for Rs 17.5 crore, while the Chennai Super Kings acquired Stokes for Rs 16.25 crore.
Compared to K.L. Rahul (Rs 17 crore) and Virat Kohli (Rs 15 crore), Curran and Green come out on top financially. Green will take over for the retired Kieron Pollard in the Indian Premier League.
Curran’s Star Career
Curran, who pitches with his left arm and bats powerfully from the left side, has been in great form this year. He has taken 25 wickets in 19 games since September, and he came through for England in Australia at the T20 World Cup when Jofra Archer, who had shined in the 50-over edition in 2019, was not there.
Curran was the best performer in the tournament after taking 13 wickets in six games, including a five-for against Afghanistan. While making history as the first English cricketer to record a five-wicket haul in men’s Twenty20 Internationals, he also contributed to England’s victory over New Zealand by bowling three dots in the final over to defend 25 runs and finishing with 2/26.
Curran’s middle-ground prowess
Curran was born into a family of cricketers. Kevin Sr. competed for Zimbabwe in the 1983 and 1987 World Cups. Tom and Ben, his brothers, are also cricket players. While Ben plays first-class cricket for Northamptonshire, Tom has played 60 international games across all formats.
With so much cricket talk around him, he has always been a quick study. His greatest talent in all settings is swing. The youngster can make the ball talk and move it both ways, posing a threat at the top of the order.
Wrapping Up
The Indian Premier League (IPL) has become a major proving ground for national team selection. In recent years, T20 performances have been used to promote players to the Test team; with his continued development and experience, Curran has a chance to become the first English left-arm seamer to take 100 Test wickets.
