5 Most expensive equipment of cricketers sold at auction

Cricket has always been more than just a sport and has become an emotion that connects millions of fans. The passion is such that even the equipment once used by legendary players has become priceless for collectors and fans. Over the years, auctions have seen record-breaking bids, where memorabilia from iconic moments of the game fetched whopping amounts.

Here are the five most expensive equipment of cricketers sold at auction:

5. MS Dhoni’s 2011 World Cup bat:

Celebrated Indian skipper MS Dhoni’s iconic bat from the 2011 World Cup final earned a place in history books not just for the winning six, but also for the record price it fetched at auction. Used by Dhoni to seal India’s victory over Sri Lanka at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium, the Reebok-labelled bat was sold for 100,000 Pounds (around INR 1 crore) at the ‘East Meets West’ Charity Dinner in London on July 18, 2011.

The bat was purchased by R K Global Shares & Securities Ltd, and the sale was later recognised by Guinness World Records as the most expensive cricket bat. Proceeds from the auction went to The Sakshi Foundation, which supports underprivileged children in India.

4. Sir Donald Bradman’s bat:

Sir Donald Bradman’s bat used by the Australian legend, which was famously signed by members of the iconic 1948 team, was sold for an AusD 61,000 (USD 65,000) at an auction in Melbourne. Bradman held the Sykes bat to score 115 in his final first-class innings at home before departing for the historic Ashes tour of England. The bat, carrying signatures of greats like Lindsay Hassett, Ray Lindwall, and Keith Miller, sold for far above its estimated value of AusD 20,000.

For years, the prized item was displayed at the WACA before being put up by Leski Auctions. Bradman, who retired with a Test batting average of 99.94, is considered to be the greatest batter of the game.

3. Sir Donald Bradman’s Baggy Green from 1946-47 Ashes series:

Sir Donald Bradman’s Baggy Green cap from the 1946-47 Ashes series was sold for a whopping AUD 438,500 (around INR 2.52 crore) and was secured by the National Museum of Australia in Canberra. Half of the funding came from the federal government, ensuring that the piece of cricket history was in the country for future generations to admire.

Bradman wore this cap while leading Australia in the first Ashes series after World War II, where his team defeated England 3-0 in the five-Test series. That win started the legendary 1948 Invincibles tour, where Bradman’s team went unbeaten in England.

2. Sir Donald Bradman’s Test cap worn in 1947-48 Test series against India:

Sir Donald Bradman made his Test debut against England in 1928. Nearly a century later, his iconic baggy green cap was sold for an astonishing INR 2.63 crore at a Bonhams auction after a fierce bidding war. Notably, before the cap was sold for INR 2.14 crore, the buyer pushed the total price higher.

The baggy green cap was handed to Pankaj Gupta, the manager of the Indian team, during their historic tour of Australia. This series was India’s first international cricket series as an independent nation. Meanwhile, Gupta later gave the cap to the Indian team’s wicketkeeper, PK Sen. The cap was with the Indian team for decades before it was loaned to the Bradman Museum in Bowral, the cricketer’s hometown, in 2010.

1. Shane Warne’s Baggy Green:

Legendary Australian spinner Shane Warne’s iconic Baggy Green cap, one of his most cherished possessions, was auctioned in 2020 to raise funds for bushfire relief. The devastating fires across Australia that year led the legendary leg-spinner to step forward, with his cap eventually fetching AUD 1,007,500 (INR 5.79 crore). The auction set a record, surpassing the AUD 425,000 bid for Sir Donald Bradman’s cap in 2003. The winning bidder was revealed to be the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, whose CEO Matt Comyn confirmed the purchase.

The bank announced that the cap would go on a national fundraising tour before being placed permanently at the Bradman Museum in Bowral. Warne expressed happiness towards the bidders, saying he was overwhelmed by the generosity and hoped the funds would help those in desperate need.

“Thankyou so much to everyone that placed a bid & a huge Thankyou / congrats to the successful bidder – you have blown me away with your generosity and this was way beyond my expectations ! The money will go direct to the Red Cross bushfire appeal. Thankyou, Thankyou,” he posted on X.

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