New Delhi: Records tumbled left, right and centre as ten franchises combined to spend a staggering Rs 639.15 crore on 182 players at the two-day Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 mega auction in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. It was the most money spent in an auction in the tournament’s history as Rishabh Pant emerged as the costliest pick at Rs 27 crore.
Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) broke the bank to make Pant the most expensive player in IPL history. Pant pipped his Indian teammate Shreyas Iyer, who Punjab Kings bought for Rs 26.75 crore at the same auction. Pant and Iyer now hold the record for being the top two most expensive signings in the IPL auctions.
While Pant and Iyer were expected to be among the top buys at the auction, Indian all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer turned out to be a surprise package. Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) went all to secure the signing of Venkatesh, splurging out a whopping Rs 23.75 crore for the 29-year-old southpaw. Venkatesh has been with KKR since IPL 2021 and was rewarded for his consistency.
Indian bowlers were in demand at the IPL 2025 mega auction, as expected. Arshdeep Singh turned out to be the most expensive Indian pacer at the auction after being sold to Punjab Kings for Rs 18 crore. Punjab Kings had decided not to retain the left-arm pacer ahead of the mega auction but ended up buying him back.
Top 5 most expensive players in IPL 2025 mega auction:
1) Rishabh Pant (Rs 27 crore) – Lucknow Super Giants
Rishabh Pant became the most expensive player in IPL history after Lucknow Super Giants bought him for a stunning sum of Rs 27 crore at the IPL 2025 mega auction. Pant was released by Delhi Capitals ahead of the mega auction. While DC did want to use their RTM option for Pant, LSG owner Sanjiv Goenka raised his bid to Rs 27 crore to sign the Indian wicket-keeper batter for his team.
2) Shreyas Iyer (Rs 26.75 crore) – Punjab Kings
Shreyas Iyer was the second most expensive player at the IPL 2025 mega auction after going to Punjab Kings for Rs 26.50 crore. Iyer broke Mitchell Starc’s record for the most expensive IPL player of all time before getting pipped by Pant. Iyer was one of the most sought-after names in the auction and saw Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals get involved in an intense bidding war for him.
3) Venkatesh Iyer (Rs 23.75 crore) – Kolkata Knight Riders
Indian all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer emerged as the 3rd costliest pick at the IPL 2025 mega auction, leaving many surprised. Venkatesh was bought back by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), who beat Royal Challengers Bengaluru to his signing. KKR were determined to get the left-hander back and paid a whooping rs 23.75 crore to secure his services for the next season.
4) Arshdeep Singh (Rs 18 crore) – Punjab Kings
Indian pacer Arshdeep Singh became the most expensive Indian pacer in IPL history after being sold to Punjab Kings for Rs 18 crore. Arshdeep was the first player to go under the hammer in the IPL 2025 mega auction, triggering a bidding war between the teams. Punjab Kings eventually used their RTM to get the left-arm pacer for Rs 18 crore.
5) Yuzvendra Chahal (Rs 18 crore) – Chennai Super Kings
Yuzvendra Chahal became the most expensive Indian spinner in IPL history after being bought by Punjab Kings for Rs 18 crore. Chahal, who is the leading wicket-taker of all time in IPL history, saw the likes of Chennai Super Kings, GT, LSG and Sunrisers Hyderabad launch a bidding war for him before PBKS eventually edged others to secure his signatures.
IPL 2025 mega auction – Full coverage
| List of players sold | Complete list of sold, and unsold players at IPL 2025 auction |
| IPL auction highlights | Major highlights from IPL 2025 mega auction |
| LSG complete squad | LSG break the bank for Pant, sign Miller, Marsh |
| CSK complete squad | Noor Ahmad top buy for CSK, Ashwin and Curran return |
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