Rishabh Pant becomes most expensive IPL buy at ₹27 crore, Iyer fetches ₹26.75 crore deal

Rishabh Pant becomes IPL's most expensive player at ₹27 crore, followed by Shreyas Iyer and Mitchell Starc.

Rishabh Pant became the most expensive player in the history of IPL as Lucknow Super Giants splurged a humongous ₹27 crore to buy the flamboyant India keeper-batter in the tournament’s mega auction in Jeddah on Sunday (November 24, 2024).

The amount LSG spent for Pant ensured Shreyas Iyer’s record of being the tournament’s costliest player lasted barely a few minutes after Punjab Kings broke the bank to buy the India batter for ₹26.75 crore.

Moments before Pant emerged as the most expensive player, Iyer surpassed the record held by Australian pacer Mitchell Starc, who was bought by Kolkata Knight Riders for ₹24.75 crore in the last auction.

Pant went to LSG after his former franchise Delhi Capitals did not use the Right to Match card to buy him back.

Also read: IPL 2025 mega auction Day 1 LIVE

Starc got a much lower price this time and was sold to Delhi Capitals for ₹11.75 crore, while England’s Jos Buttler went to Gujarat Titans for ₹15.75 crore.

Among others, left-arm seamer Arshdeep Singh’s consistency earned him a massive bid of ₹18 crore, also from Punjab Kings via the Right to Match card, while South African speedster Kagiso Rabada was bought for ₹10.75 crore by Gujarat Titans.