In a thrilling turn of events at the IPL 2025 mega auction, Rishabh Pant shattered the record for the most expensive player ever, with Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) securing the wicketkeeper-batter for a whopping INR 27 crore. This massive bid surpassed the previous record set by Punjab Kings, who had earlier spent INR 26.75 crore to sign Shreyas Iyer, marking a landmark moment in the auction’s history.

The intense bidding war saw LSG jump in early to grab Pant, with the franchise staying resolute through competition from both Royal Challengers Bangalore and Sunrisers Hyderabad. As the price steadily climbed, it reached INR 20.75 crore, at which point Delhi Capitals, Pant’s former team, made an attempt to use the Right To Match (RTM) option.

However, LSG, aware of the new RTM regulations, raised their bid to INR 27 crore, a sum that ultimately proved too high for DC, signaling the end of Pant’s tenure with the franchise and his big payday.

Pant's INR 27 crore deal came after the M1 marquee set of the auction also witnessed Shreyas Iyer’s massive INR 26.75 crore signing. Iyer became the first Indian player to cross the INR 20 crore mark at an IPL auction. The bidding for Iyer saw both his former teams, Delhi Capitals and Kolkata Knight Riders, fiercely contesting for his services, but it was Punjab Kings that successfully secured the player with their aggressive bidding.

Punjab Kings didn’t stop there, as they also exercised their RTM option to bring back Arshdeep Singh, who had been initially signed by Sunrisers Hyderabad for INR 15.75 crore. Following a bidding battle, the Kings raised their RTM offer to INR 18 crore, retaining the World Cup-winning fast bowler.

The Gujarat Titans made notable acquisitions in the first set as well, securing Jos Buttler for INR 15.75 crore and Kagiso Rabada for INR 10.75 crore, strengthening their squad for the upcoming season.