The value of money is always on the rise. It is a natural phenomenon, and almost everything on the planet inevitably operates around this. In the game of cricket too, there have been plenty of instances where the rise in the value of money has been impactful.
When IPL began in 2008, the business model impressed many people. Hence, it was not a surprise that a big amount of money was involved. While that was a backroom affair, the fan’s closest perception of this fact was at the auctions.
A couple of guys going for huge bids was never seen before anywhere. However, when you look back, that amount actually seems small. The value of money has grown, and it will be interesting to see what the value of the auction-buys in 2008 would be in the current economy.
In this article, we take the top five costliest buys at the 2008 auction and calculate what their value would be now.
Note: The calculations hold good as of December 4th, 2020 when 1 USD was equivalent to INR 73.75.
1. MS Dhoni – INR 11 Crores (USD 1,500,000)
The costliest buy in 2008, MS Dhoni’s salary then was around INR 6 crores. However, if he went for the same bid in 2020, his fee would be somewhere around INR 11 crores. That said, nothing has changed for Dhoni concerning this. He is anyway earning close to INR 15 crores in IPL now. This shows that CSK’s move to go hard for MSD in season one has paid off. The man became the face of the franchise, and also won them multiple trophies in the process.
2. Andrew Symonds – INR 9.95 Crores (USD 1,300,000)
Andrew Symonds was one cricketer who was tailor-made for the T20 format. He was a destructive batsman, on the same lines as the likes of Kieron Pollard and Andre Russell at the moment. Add to this, Symonds was a fine spinner and had the knack of breaking partnerships. Not to forget, very often, Symonds used to surprise viewers with his exceptional fielding skills. With such a good-looking resume, it is natural that Deccan Chargers went all out for him at the auctions. He was the second-highest buy, and right now, that amount valuates to INR 9.95 crores.
3. Sanath Jayasuriya – INR 7.2 Crores (USD 975,000)
The Sri Lankan opener was another player who had T20-iness within him. A hard-hitting batsman, when he used to get going, the opposition bowlers had no option but to sweat for the entire duration of the game. Well, an idea to pair him up with Sachin Tendulkar at the top of the order did seem very exciting. Sanath was also a useful hand with the ball. Mumbai Indians were adamant, and in the end, they paid huge bucks to hire the Sri Lankan. The same bid now is equivalent to INR 7 crores.
4. Ishant Sharma – INR 7 Crores (USD 950,000)
That was the time when everyone in India looked up at Ishant Sharma as the future of India’s fast-bowling. He had had a terrific tournament in Australia, and given that he was bowling at full pace, almost everyone was excited about Ishant. KKR was impressed too and paid a mindboggling amount to a young pacer who was yet to prove in this format. Ishant did have a few good games for the franchise but did not manage to justify his price-tag. His value would have been INR 7 crores with the same bid now.
5. Irfan Pathan – INR 6.8 Crores (USD 925,000)
Now, imagine being Irfan Pathan in 2008. A sure shot opening bowler for the country, you are also an excellent option with the bat. This is a brilliant attribute for a T20 player, and Irfan might have expected to win a big bid at the auctions. He found success, as KXIP paid him the fifth-best salary that season. The all-rounder went for USD 925,000, a value that amounts to INR 6.8 crores now.
