From Rs 20 lakh to Rs 10.75 crore! RCB break the bank for Harshal Patel at IPL 2022 mega auction

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) shelled out a huge amount of money to buy back Indian pacer Harshal Patel at the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega auction on Saturday (February 12). RCB, who had chosen not to retain Patel after his brilliant campaign with the ball in IPL 2021 last year, had to break the bank to get him back at the mega auction as they bought him for a staggering sum of Rs 10.75 crore (INR 107.5 million).

After roping in South African batter Faf du Plessis for a sum of Rs 7 crore (INR 70 million), RCB went big when Patel's name was announced at the mega auction. They managed to beat competition from the likes of Chennai Super Kings and Sunrisers Hyderabad to get Harshal back.

The 31-year-old pacer, who made his international debut for India in November last year, was the Purple Cap winner in IPl 2021 for being the highest wicket-taker of the season with 32 wickets in 15 matches for RCB. He saw his stakes rise dramatically at the mega auction this year after opting for a base price of Rs 2 crore (INR 20 million).

Patel was roped in by Delhi Capitals at his base price of just Rs 20 lakh (INR 2 million) in the IPL auction in 2018. He was traded to RCB ahead of the start of IPL 2021 last year where he bowled his heart out in what turned out to be a record-breaking campaign for the right-arm pacer.

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From earning Rs 20 lakh (INR 2 million) last year, Patel will now be drawing a salary of a whopping Rs 10.75 crore (INR 107.5 million) per season at RCB. RCB had earlier opted to retain Virat Kohli, Glenn Maxwell and Mohammed Siraj ahead of the mega auction and have strengthened by getting both Du Plessis and Patel.

Though he has been around for quite a while now in the IPL, Harshal has so far played only 63 matches in his IPL career and has 78 wickets to his name.