LSG splurge record INR 27 crore for Pant, Shreyas gets 26.75 crore from PBKS

Rishabh Pant has made history as the highest-priced player in IPL history after being purchased by the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) for INR 27 crore (around USD 3.21 million) on the opening day of the big auction in Jeddah. He eclipsed the previous record set by the Punjab Kings (PBKS), who had just offered INR 26.75 crore (approximately USD 3.18 million) to acquire Shreyas Iyer a short while before.

This season, both LSG and PBKS were looking for new captains, and it looks like Pant and Shreyas will step into those positions. Interestingly, both players went for more than the ₹24.75 crore offer that Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) made for Mitchell Starc during the IPL 2024 auction.

LSG and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) started the bidding for Pant, but once RCB withdrew, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) entered the competition. The two teams pushed the bid up to INR 20.75 crore. At that point, SRH backed out, and Pant was sold to LSG. The auctioneer then asked Delhi Capitals (DC) if they wished to exercise a right-to-match (RTM) option to reclaim Pant, and they agreed. Under the new RTM rules for this auction, the winning bidder had a chance to increase their offer, which LSG did by raising it from INR 20.75 crore to INR 27 crore. Since DC chose not to match that amount, Pant was ultimately sold to LSG for a record-breaking sum.

"Regardless of how thoroughly you prepare, things don’t always go as expected," said Shashwat Goenka, the owner of LSG. "Acquiring Pant for 27 crore fit perfectly into our strategy. It wasn’t a specific magical figure; we simply aimed for a number that would prevent the RTM from being activated."

Shreyas was the third prominent player put up for auction in the initial round, and KKR kicked off the bidding in hopes of reacquiring their championship-winning captain. However, they pulled out when the price reached INR 10 crore. This left DC and PBKS to vie for Shreyas, as both teams were in search of a leader. Ultimately, PBKS, which had the biggest budget of INR 110.5 crore, secured Shreyas for INR 26.75 crore.

Ricky Ponting, the recently appointed coach of PBKS, expressed his excitement about reconnecting with Shreyas, recalling their previous collaboration at DC. When asked about Shreyas potentially taking on the role of PBKS captain, he noted, "I haven’t had a chance to talk to him yet; I tried reaching out before the auction, but he didn’t answer." He acknowledged Shreyas's successful history as a captain in the IPL, having worked alongside him for 3-4 years in Delhi, where Shreyas led the team to a championship victory last season. Ponting added, "I’m really looking forward to working with him again; if he can achieve similar success for us in the IPL, I’d be very pleased."

KL Rahul emerged as one of the top Indian batsmen during the auction, attracting interest from KKR, RCB, and CSK. Ultimately, he was acquired by DC for INR 14 crore (around $1.67 million) and has the potential to take on the role of captain. His former team, LSG, chose not to utilize the Right to Match (RTM) option to retain him.

Venkatesh Iyer Sold For ₹23.75 Crore

One of the biggest shocks of the first day was the intense competition for all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer between KKR and RCB. In the end, he was purchased by his old team, KKR, for an impressive INR 23.75 crore (around $2.83 million). KKR's highest retained player was Rinku Singh at INR 13 crore, closely followed by Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, and Varun Chakravarthy, all at INR 12 crore each.

"New Homes For Buttler, Starc, And Rabada"

The Rajasthan Royals (RR) attempted to reacquire Jos Buttler but couldn't succeed. Facing competition from PBKS and LSG, GT managed to secure Buttler for INR 15.75 crore (about US$ 1.88 million). He will join Shubman Gill at the top of the batting lineup and take on wicketkeeping duties.

"We're thrilled to have Jos Buttler on our team. He’s versatile, capable of batting in any position, and can also take on wicketkeeping duties, which is a great advantage for Shubman," said Parthiv Patel, the assistant coach of GT. "Our goal was to secure our top bowler and top batsman from the marquee players, and we’ve managed to get both."

GT kicked off the auction with a substantial budget of INR 73 crore, the third-highest of the event. They successfully acquired their second player, South African fast bowler Kagiso Rabada, from the first group of top players, outbidding RCB and MI to secure him for INR 10.75 crore (around $1.28 million). Additionally, they selected Mohammed Siraj from the second group of top players for INR 12.25 crore (about $1.46 million).

KKR and MI kicked off the auction for Starc, and RCB expressed interest as well. Ultimately, he was acquired by DC for INR 11.75 crore (around $1.40 million), marking a significant decrease from his previous record price of INR 24.75 crore (approximately $2.98 million at that time) a year ago.

"I'm really excited about our new signings. Both KL and Starc are top-notch players. They're currently facing off in the match between India and Australia, which adds an intriguing element," said DC head coach Hemang Badani. "Starc is a game-changer and consistently takes wickets, so we’re thrilled to have him. As for KL Rahul, we see him as a reliable player who can deliver runs every season. Right now, I think this is the standout purchase from the auction. That said, there's still a lot of work ahead of us."

Chahal's Big Payday!

One of the most unexpected moments during the IPL 2022 mega auction was Yuzvendra Chahal being sold for just INR 6.50 crore to Rajasthan Royals. This time around, however, there was much greater demand for him, with Gujarat Titans, Chennai Super Kings, Lucknow Super Giants, Royal Challengers Bangalore, and Sunrisers Hyderabad all vying for his signature. In the end, Punjab Kings outbid everyone else, securing Chahal's services for INR 18 crore, making him one of the joint-third most expensive players at the auction alongside Arshdeep Singh.

"I felt really anxious and uneasy because the amount I received is what I earned over the last three seasons combined. I truly believe I deserve this price, and I’m thrilled about it," Chahal shared with Jio Cinema. "I had a feeling that I'd end up in Punjab, and my friends also mentioned it, but I never expected it would be for such a substantial amount. I was thinking around INR 12-13 crore, but I do deserve this. No matter where you go, there’s always a chance to learn and improve, and I’ll be dedicated to putting in my best efforts."

CSK Goes Busy; MI And RR Start Quietly

In the initial two marquee sets, a total of 12 players were up for grabs. PBKS and GT each secured three players, while DC and LSG picked up two players each. RCB and SRH acquired one player apiece. On the other hand, CSK, MI, KKR, and RR were unable to purchase any players from these marquee sets.

After that, CSK became very active in the auction, acquiring players like Devon Conway, Rahul Tripathi, Rachin Ravindra, and R Ashwin for a combined total of INR 23.40 crore. Ashwin's return was particularly noteworthy, as CSK's successful bid of INR 9.75 crore (about $1.16 million) marked the highest amount he has ever received in an IPL auction. His last stint with CSK was back in the IPL 2015 season.

Once the initial 26 players were purchased, it turned out that MI and RR were the only teams that didn't make a single acquisition. Among those players, MI only placed bids for Starc and Rabada.

Arshdeep: The Only RTM Buy From Marquee Sets

Although multiple teams had chances to utilize their Right to Match (RTM) options to reacquire their previous players in the top categories, PBKS stood out as the only team that succeeded in this endeavor by bringing back Arshdeep. They chose to use their RTM option after SRH increased their final offer for Arshdeep from INR 15.75 crore to INR 18 crore. Following that, DC managed to bring back Jake Fraser-McGurk, and CSK re-signed Rachin Ravindra through the RTM option as well.

Devdutt Padikkal was among the initial group of players but became the first to go without any bids at the IPL 2025 mega auction. Even more shocking was the fact that David Warner, one of the league's top scorers, also received no offers in the first round. He may have a chance to be selected during the accelerated round on the second day. Similarly, Jonny Bairstow, who was part of the wicketkeeper list, also went unsold.

Stay tuned for more updates...