Yusuf Pathan delivered nearly nine times his 2009 IPL value

Rajasthan Royals paid approximately Rs 1.9 crore for Yusuf Pathan at the inaugural IPL auction in 2009. A valuation model estimates his season produced close to Rs 17 crore in cricketing value. The all-rounder finished with 243 runs and seven wickets as Rajasthan failed to defend their title.

Two individual performances exceeded the entire acquisition cost. Pathan scored 42 from 21 balls plus 18 from four deliveries in a Super Over against Kolkata Knight Riders on April 23, valued at roughly Rs 5.24 crore. Five days later he made an unbeaten 62 from 30 balls in a chase against Delhi Daredevils, estimated at Rs 5.07 crore.

The model shows Pathan's value concentrated in sudden match-defining interventions rather than consistent output across 13 appearances. Those two matches alone generated an estimated Rs 10.31 crore for a player whose full-season fee was Rs 1.9 crore.