3 players who lost big money at IPL auction because of one mistake

Over the years, the Indian Premier League (IPL) auctions have been instrumental in shaping the careers of several players. Both star players and rookies look forward to the IPL auction with keen anticipation.

Rishabh Pant has earned the highest amount in the history of IPL auctions, as he signed for a whopping INR 27 crore by Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in the 2025 mega-auction. Meanwhile, Avesh Khan holds the record for being the most expensive uncapped player in IPL history. He was roped in by LSG for INR 10 crore in the 2022 mega-auction.

However, not all players have had such memorable auction experiences. In this article, we take a look at three players who lost out on potentially lucrative IPL contracts due to poor performances ahead of the auctions.

3 players who lost money because of one bad moment before the auction:

Andre Russell

Andre Russell was retained for INR 12 crore ahead of the IPL 2025 mega-auction. However, he failed to live up to his potential last season. In 13 matches, he scored just 167 runs at an average of 18.56. He registered just one half-century during the campaign. With the ball, he took only eight wickets in nine innings at an economy rate of 11.94. One innings that Russell wouldn't want to remember is the 11-ball 17 he scored against the Punjab Kings in Mullanpur. KKR were chasing a target of 112. However, they were bowled out for 95 in 15.1 overs.

KKR fans and management would have hoped that Russell, who walked out to bat at No. 7, would have taken the team home. Ahead of the IPL 2026 mini-auction, the Knights decided to release the Caribbean all-rounder. He subsequently decided to retire from the IPL and join the three-time champions as their Power Coach. The 37-year-old could have earned a huge amount had he entered the auction instead of retiring. However, he was not willing to play for any other franchise than the one he spent 12 seasons with.