$10,000 a ball: Cummins hits IPL jackpot

The world's best fast bowler is now among the richest after Pat Cummins was bought for a massive $3.17 million in a cash splash on Australians in the Indian Premier League auction.

Glenn Maxwell, just days after being left out of the Australian one-day team for matches in India, also earned his biggest ever IPL deal, bought by the Kings XI Punjab, the team he captained in 2017, for $2.2 million.

Maxwell was among a host of Australians who skipped the IPL this year to focus on the World Cup and Ashes campaigns.

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But with a limited amount of international cricket to be played over the Australian winter, most, except pace spearhead Mitchell Starc, threw their names in to the auction pool this year and reaped the rewards.

Cummins was the most expensive player in the auction, his price falling just shy of Indian captain Virat Kohli's record of $3.4 million set at last year's auction.

But Cummins' deal was the biggest ever for an Australian and dwarfs the $2.2 million both Steve Smith and David Warner will earn as captains of Rajasthan Royals and Sunrisers Hyderabad respectively.

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Cummins will play for Kolkata Knight Riders under new coach Brendon McCullum, and will earn double the entire salary cap of a Big Bash team, which is $1.8 million.

While he was fielding at Geelong, Australian white-ball captain Aaron Finch was sold to the Royal Challengers Bangalore for $900,000, while Brisbane Heat captain Chris Lynn scored a $400,000 deal with the Mumbai Indians.

The 2020 IPL runs from April through May, with each team playing 14 games.

Cummins could earn about $225,000 a match, or just under $10,000 a ball if he bowls four overs in every game.