India's star wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant etched his name in IPL history by becoming the most expensive player ever at the Indian Premier League 2025 mega auction in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. A fierce bidding war ensued, ultimately leading to the Lucknow Super Giants securing his services for a staggering Rs 27 crore.
Virat Kohli's spot on prediction on Rishabh Pant's stunning IPL deal
Interestingly, Virat Kohli had accurately predicted Pant's sky-high value during the first Test of Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia. While batting in Perth, Kohli jokingly remarked to Pant that he didn't need to go big on a particular shot, as his auction price would speak for itself. After Pant let go a wide delivery from Mitchell Marsh during the Perth Test, Kohli turned to the Australian bowlers and jokingly remarked:
“He doesn’t need to hit today. He’s going big (at the IPL auction) anyway.”
India ended up thrashing Australia by 295 runs in the first Test. Meanwhile, former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif heaped praise on Lucknow Super Giants' (LSG) decision to acquire Rishabh Pant for a record-breaking Rs 27 crore in the IPL 2025 auction. Kaif, who has worked with Pant at Delhi Capitals, described the move as 'aggressive yet justified'.
"With Rishabh Pant joining LSG, the team has gained both a strong brand value and a recognisable face—an essential factor for any franchise. While LSG does not have many big names apart from Nicholas Pooran, Pant's presence will significantly benefit them. The decision to jump from ₹21 crore to ₹27 crore was aggressive, but it's a move that seems justified. They now have an Indian captain, and securing Rishabh Pant at ₹27 crore is a worthwhile deal for LSG," Kaif said on JioStar.
Besides, Pant, it was Shreyas Iyer who turned heads in the IPL 2025 mega auction as he was bought by Punjab Kings (PBKS) for a whopping amount. He sparked a bidding war between PBKS and Delhi Capitals. The intense competition pushed his price beyond the previous record of Rs. 24.75 crore. In the end, PBKS emerged victorious, securing Shreyas Iyer's services for a staggering Rs 26.75 crore.
List of expensive players in the history of IPL:
| Player | Team | Price (in Cr.) | Year |
| Rishabh Pant | Lucknow Super Giants | 27.00 | 2025 |
| Shreyas Iyer | Punjab Kings | 26.75 | 2025 |
| Mitchell Starc | Kolkata Knight Riders | 24.75 | 2024 |
| Pat Cummins | Sunrisers Hyderabad | 20.50 | 2024 |
| Sam Curran | Punjab Kings | 18.50 | 2023 |
| Arshdeep Singh | Punjab Kings | 18.00 | 2025 |
| Cameron Green | Mumbai Indians | 17.50 | 2023 |
| Ben Stokes | Chennai Super Kings | 16.25 | 2023 |
| Chris Morris | Rajasthan Royals | 16.25 | 2021 |
| Yuvraj Singh | Delhi Daredevils (Delhi Capitals) | 16 | 2015 |
