IPL mega auction: Rishabh Pant beats Shreyas Iyer to become most expensive star

LSG ropes in wicketkeeper-batter for Rs 27 crore

Star India wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant became the most expensive player in the history of the Indian Premier League (IPL), being bought by Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) for a massive Rs 27 crores during the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) mega auction at Jeddah on Sunday.

He beat compatriot Shreyas Iyer, who had just become the most expensive player in league’s history, going to Punjab Kings (PBKS) for Rs 26.75 crores a few minutes back. He had beat Australia’s Mitchell Starc, who marked his return to IPL after years with a record-breaking bid of Rs 24.75 crores.

Initially, there was a bidding war between LSG and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), with the latter giving up. Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) entered the bidding war, trying to bolster their explosive batting attack and Delhi Capitals (DC) tried to use the ‘Right To Match’ card, but they could not match the value LSG put for Pant, breaking the bank for him and going beyond Iyer’s value.

“THE RECORD IS BROKEN AGAIN! WOWZAAA Rishabh Pant goes to @LucknowIPL for INR 27 Crore! #TATAIPLAuction,” posted official IPL X handle.

With this, LSG has finally received a proper top-order batter, wicketkeeper and captaincy option in Pant.

The swashbuckling wicketkeeper-batter is an all-format for India and a livewire on the field. Having proven himself as a man for big stages in Test cricket, Pant’s T20 game is just as solid. Though he has scored 1,209 runs in 76 T20Is at an underwhelming average of 23.25, strike rate of almost 128 and just three fifties, his overall T20 numbers are way better, having made 5,022 runs in 202 matches at an average of 31.78, strike rate of over 145, with two centuries and 25 fifties.

Pant has represented Delhi Capitals (DC) for his entire IPL career since 2016, scoring 3,284 runs in 110 matches at an average of 35.31, with a century and 18 fifties. He was appointed as the team’s captain in 2021 and led them to playoffs in the same season.

Other players

The Indian spin veteran Yuzvendra Chahal was roped in by Punjab Kings (PBKS) for Rs 18 crores in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) mega auction at Jeddah on Sunday.

For Chahal, there was first a huge bidding war between Gujarat Titans and Chennai Super Kings and then between Punjab Kings and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). Eventually, he was roped in by PBKS for Rs 18 crores.

Also, pace veteran Mohammed Shami, previously associated with Gujarat Titans (GT) was bought for Rs 10 crores by Sunrisers Hyderabad, the 2016 IPL champions.

Also, South Africa’s hard-hitting left-handed batter David Miller was bought by Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) for Rs 7.5 crores.

Indian pacer Mohammed Siraj, was roped in by Gujarat Titans for Rs 12.25 crore.Siraj is a solid all-format pacer for India, having taken 165 wickets across 91 matches, with a lot of match-winning performances in overseas Tests. He is the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 winner with the team.

Also, India’s versatile batter KL Rahul was bought by Delhi Capitals for Rs 14 crore. After bidding war between Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), Delhi Capitals (DC) entered the fray and got an opener, captain and wicketkeeper-batter option in Rahul.