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Rishabh Pant fetches US$ 3.24 million as IPL 2025 auction kicks off
Lucknow Super Giants spends US$ 3.24 million on Rishabh Pant, meanwhile overseas pacers Boult, Hazlewood, and Archer bag US$ 1.5 million each. David Warner and Devdutt Padikkal went unsold.
IPL auction in Saudi Arabia / X/ @IPL
The Indian Premier League (IPL)2025 auction began with intense competition as teams worked to strengthen their squads for the upcoming season. Held in Saudi Arabia, the auction saw 84 players sold from a total pool of 574.
Day 1 featured some surprising bids and record-breaking moments, setting the tone for an exciting tournament ahead.
Gujarat Titans, Delhi Capitals, and Punjab Kings led the way, buying eight players each. Punjab Kings, with the biggest budget, spent US$ 10.14 million (INR 84.5 crore), while Mumbai Indians, spent cautiously, acquiring just three players for USD 2.21 million (INR 18.4 crore).
Pant Shatters Records
Rishabh Pant became the most expensive player in IPL history, sold to Lucknow Super Giants for US$ 3.24 million (INR 27 crore) at the IPL 2025 mega auction in Saudi Arabia. He surpassed Shreyas Iyer, who was bought by Punjab Kings for US$ 3.21 million (INR 26.75 crore).
Presenting the Buys at the end of Day 1⃣ of the Mega Auction!
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) November 24, 2024
Which one did you predict right and which one surprised you the most
Let us know in the comments below ️ #TATAIPLAuction | #TATAIPL pic.twitter.com/sgmL8tbI86
Indian Star Players
Venkatesh Iyer emerged as the costliest non-marquee player, returning to Kolkata Knight Riders for US$ 2.85 million (INR 23.75 crore). Meanwhile, Punjab Kings retained their marquee bowler Arshdeep Singh for US$ 2.16 million (INR 18 crore), utilizing their Right To Match (RTM) card to edge out fierce competition.
Among uncapped players, Rasikh Salam Dar stood out, becoming the most expensive in his category. The young pacer was snapped up by Royal Challengers Bengaluru for US$ 720,000 (INR 6 crore), an astronomical leap from his base price of US$ 36,000 (INR 30 lakh). Nehal Wadhera and Abdul Samad also made headlines, fetching US$ 504,000 (INR 4.2 crore) each from Punjab Kings and Lucknow Super Giants, respectively.
Overseas Players
New Zealand pacer Trent Boult became Mumbai Indians' first pick at US$ 1.5 million (INR 12.5 crore), while Jofra Archer and Josh Hazlewood matched that price for Rajasthan Royals and Royal Challengers of Bangalore, respectively.
England’s Jos Buttler found a new home with Gujarat Titans for US$ 1.89 million (INR 15.75 crore), while South Africa's Kagiso Rabada went for US$ 1.29 million (INR 10.75 crore) to the same franchise.
Notable names like David Warner and Devdutt Padikkal went unsold, while Mitchell Starc, last year’s record-holder, saw his value drop significantly to US$ 1.41 million (INR 11.75 crore) with the Delhi Capitals.
Jonny Bairstow also failed to attract bids, reflecting the unpredictable dynamics of this year’s auction.
Among all-rounders, Venkatesh Iyer was joined by Marcus Stoinis (US$ 1.32 million to Punjab Kings) and Ravichandran Ashwin (US$ 1.17 million to Chennai Super Kings) in the big-money club. Meanwhile, Glenn Maxwell made a comeback with PBKS for US$ 504,000 (INR 4.2 crore).
“Wanted to keep our very own Venkatesh Iyer happy” ️#KKR CEO Venky Mysore speaks about their bid for their left-hander
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) November 24, 2024
#TATAIPLAuction | #TATAIPL | @venkateshiyer | @VenkyMysore | @KKRiders pic.twitter.com/dNlSP88ije
The auction saw heavy investment in bowlers, with Yuzvendra Chahal fetching US$ 2.16 million (INR 18 crore) from Punjab Kings, Mohammed Siraj going to Gujarat Titans for US$ 1.47 million (INR 12.25 crore), and Mohammed Shami heading to Sunrisers Hyderabad for US$ 1.2 million (INR 10 crore).
With 204 slots still up for grabs, Day 2 will see franchises nominating players for the accelerated round, followed by a final push for unsold talents.
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