The Indian Premier League (IPL) is breaking records with the transfers of Australian bowlers Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins, who became the most expensive players in the competition's history on Tuesday.

Starc returned to the IPL after an eight-year absence, and Kolkata Knight Riders decided to make the most of the opportunity by splashing out 247.5 million rupees (€2.7 million), setting an all-time IPL auction record.

Until these two spectacular players revolutionised the transfer game, Englishman Sam Curran, who was bought by Punjab Kings for $2.23 million last year, held the record.

"I am thrilled to be joining SRH for the upcoming IPL season," Cummins said in a video posted by the team on social media. "I've played in Hyderabad a few times and always loved it, so I'm looking forward to getting started."

Fans were treated to a spectacular show at the auction venue in Dubai. Hyderabad outbid Royal Challengers Bangalore for Cummins.

Indeed, the two protagonists of these lucrative transfers were teammates in the Australian team that won the ODI World Cup in November, beating India in the final in Ahmedabad.
Cummins is no stranger to these figures, as he was also the most expensive player in 2019, earning €2 million for Kolkata Knight Riders.

New Zealander Daryl Mitchell completed the podium after being snapped up by Chennai Super Kings for €1.4 million. In comments collected by AFP, Chennai coach Stephen Fleming said Mitchell's performances over the past 18 or 24 months "justify that kind of price".

More than 300 players were up for grabs in Tuesday's auction for the Twenty20 tournament, the dates of which are not yet known but are expected to be in March.

The IPL is a cornerstone of Indian cricket, generating millions in revenue. The sale of rights worth billions of dollars helps attract many of the world's top players to play in the IPL and the Twenty20 tournament.