Jaydev Unadkat sets record with 13 IPL auction sales

Jaydev Unadkat holds the record as the player sold the most times in Indian Premier League history, having been bought 13 times at auctions. Unadkat began his IPL journey in 2011 when Kolkata Knight Riders bought him for about 1.13 crore rupees, and his career since has seen stints with several franchises including Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Delhi Daredevils, Rising Pune Supergiants, Rajasthan Royals, Mumbai Indians, Lucknow Super Giants, and Sunrisers Hyderabad, culminating in a one crore rupee purchase by Hyderabad in the 2025 auction. Several other players also feature prominently in auction frequency lists, with Australian fast bowler Nathan Coulter-Nile, Indian fast bowler Mohit Sharma, and veteran leg-spinner Amit Mishra each bought seven times in IPL auctions. Coulter-Nile's auction history includes bids from Mumbai Indians, Delhi Daredevils, Kolkata Knight Riders, and Rajasthan Royals, reaching a high of eight crore rupees in 2020. Mohit Sharma started with Chennai Super Kings in 2013 for 20 lakh rupees and later played for Kings XI Punjab, Delhi Capitals, and Gujarat Titans, with Delhi buying him for 2.22 crore rupees in the 2025 mega auction. Amit Mishra was bought by Delhi Daredevils in the inaugural 2008 auction for 1.2 crore rupees, and subsequently played for Deccan Chargers, Sunrisers Hyderabad, and Lucknow Super Giants. Australian fast bowler Pat Cummins ranks fifth, having been sold six times in IPL auctions, starting with a one crore rupee buy by Kolkata Knight Riders in 2014 and reaching 20.5 crore rupees with Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2024, alongside other six-time auction appearances by Yuvraj Singh, Glenn Maxwell, and Dinesh Karthik. Meanwhile, ahead of the 2027 IPL auction window, multiple team player trades have occurred, including Rishabh Pant moving to Delhi Capitals, Hardik Pandya joining Punjab Kings, Kuldeep Yadav moving to Lucknow, and Arshdeep Singh joining Mumbai Indians, alongside reports that Sunrisers Hyderabad may release players such as Pat Cummins, Harshal Patel, Shivam Mavi, and Brydon Carse.

Context

IPL player auctions and trade windows happen regularly before each new season, allowing franchises to reshape their squads by buying, selling, or trading players. These decisions are driven by player form, fitness, and team strategy as management prepares for upcoming matches.