IPL 2023: “Back to where it all started”- Sam Curran on joining PBKS; Ben Stokes gives ‘Yellove’ to CSK

Curran at INR 18.50 crs became the most expensive player sold ever in any IPL auction.

The IPL 2023 auction underway in Kochi on December 23 saw some records being broken as England stars Sam Curran and Ben Stokes broke the bank, with bidding wars happening for the recent T20 World Cup winners.

Sam Curran was the toast of the IPL 2023 auction as Royal Challengers Bangalore and Mumbai Indians started the bidding war for him, which then saw CSK, and RR joining the fray. Just when CSK had posted a bid of INR 11.50 crores, Punjab Kings came into action and finally got him for INR 18.50 crores.

Curran had made his IPL debut for PBKS and the franchise made him the most expensive buy ever in any IPL auction at that price.

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Talking to Twitter to react to his bumper payday, Sam Curran posted: “Back to where it all started! Looking forward to it”

Another big buy in the IPL 2023 auction was Ben Stokes who had entered the auction after missing the IPL 2022 due to mental health reasons.

He is a legit superstar and has a brilliant record in IPL as well, including a Most Valuable Player performance in IPL 2017, his debut year. He has two centuries to his name as well and saw a bidding war between RR, RCB, and then LSG and SRH joining the fray.

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However, CSK entered the fray at INR 15.25 cr and plucked the England Test captain for INR 16.25 crores and he will be joining the MS Dhoni-led side for IPL 2023.