IPL 2025 Mega Auction: Rishabh Pant becomes most expensive player in IPL auction history

On Sunday, Rishabh Pant became the most expensive player in IPL auction history at the 2025 mega auction in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The Indian wicketkeeper-batter was signed by the Lucknow Super Giants for a whopping  ₹27 crore.

In order to keep Pant, the Delhi Capitals had previously used their RTM (Right to Match) card at ₹20.75 crore. However, in response Lucknow raised the bid to Rs 27 crore, which forced DC to back out.

With this historic acquisition, Pant surpassed the mark set moments earlier by Shreyas Iyer, who was picked up by the Punjab Kings for ₹26.75 crore.

Shashwat Goenka, the son of Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) owner Sanjiv Goenka, said that bringing star India wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant to the franchise for Rs 27 crore was a plan and they put in such a big amount so that Delhi Capitals (DC) could not use their 'Right to Match' card to retain his services. 

The Delhi Capitals released Pant prior to this year's auction. Prior to the 2021 season, he was named captain in lieu of an injured Shreyas Iyer, having been a member of the Capitals' lineup since 2016. Pant was retained as captain for IPL 2022.

After he recovered from the serious injuries he received in a potentially fatal car accident in December 2022, Pant returned to action in the 2024 Indian Premier League. After his return, he was given back his captaincy of the Delhi Capitals, where he amassed 446 runs in yet another mediocre campaign.

Cover Credits - IPL Official