IPL 2025 Mega Auction Day 1 Highlights

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 mega auction is taking place in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, at the Abady Al-Johar Arena over two days. This event offers the 10 IPL teams a crucial opportunity to reshape their squads for the next three seasons.Held once every three years, the IPL mega auction enables teams to overhaul their rosters and start fresh if desired.

At the 2025 auction, the 10 franchises aim to fill 204 slots, including 70 for overseas players, selecting from a pool of 577 cricketers — 367 Indian and 210 international. Player base prices range from ₹30 lakh to ₹2 crore.

Notably, Rishabh Pant became the most expensive player in IPL history, with Lucknow Super Giants acquiring him for ₹27 crore. This surpassed the brief record set by Punjab Kings, who signed Shreyas Iyer for ₹26.75 crore earlier in the auction.

Pant tops Iyer and Starc in dramatic bidding wars.

Just moments before Pant’s historic signing, Shreyas Iyer briefly held the record as the league’s costliest player, joining Punjab Kings (PBKS) for ₹26.75 crore. Iyer’s milestone, in turn, had surpassed Australian pacer Mitchell Starc, who made a triumphant IPL return with a ₹24.75 crore deal.

Pant’s acquisition sparked an intense bidding war, with the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) battling it out against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and later Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). The Delhi Capitals (DC) also tried to retain Pant by exercising their Right to Match (RTM) card but ultimately fell short of LSG’s staggering final offer.

By acquiring Pant, LSG has gained not just a dynamic top-order batter but also a dependable wicketkeeper and a potential leader. Renowned for his match-winning performances and electrifying on-field presence, Pant offers a versatile skill set that could significantly elevate LSG’s prospects.

With Pant in their squad, LSG has secured a dynamic top-order batter, a reliable wicketkeeper, and a strong captaincy contender. Celebrated for his clutch performances and vibrant on-field energy, Pant brings a versatile skill set poised to transform LSG’s fortunes.

Proven Performer on the Global Stage

Pant’s prowess transcends IPL boundaries, making him a standout talent in international cricket. As a key all-format player for India, he has delivered under pressure, especially in challenging Test cricket scenarios. While his T20 International (T20I) record—1,209 runs in 76 matches at an average of 23.25 and a strike rate of nearly 128—might seem modest, his overall T20 career stats paint a different picture. With 5,022 runs in 202 matches at a blistering strike rate of over 145, including two centuries and 25 half-centuries, Pant is undeniably one of the most explosive T20 players in the world.

A legacy with Delhi Capitals

Pant has been a cornerstone of the Delhi Capitals (DC) since making his IPL debut in 2016. Over seven seasons, he amassed 3,284 runs in 110 matches at an impressive average of 35.31, highlighted by a century and 18 half-centuries. Elevated to captaincy in 2021, Pant guided DC to the playoffs that season, solidifying his reputation as both a leader and a key player.

IPL 2025 Mega Auction: Full list of sold players

Teams’ Remaining Purses for Day 2

PBKS Wins Chahal in Intense Bidding War

Indian spin legend Yuzvendra Chahal emerged as one of the standout buys in the ongoing IPL mega auction in Jeddah on Sunday. Punjab Kings (PBKS) made a bold move, securing Chahal for a whopping ₹18 crore after a heated bidding battle that involved strong competition from Gujarat Titans (GT), Chennai Super Kings (CSK), and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG).

Chahal’s Exceptional T20 and IPL Record

Being the star spinner, Chahal was highly in demand in the auction. He remains the highest Indian wicket-taker in T20 Internationals, with 96 wickets in 80 matches at a strike rate of 25.09 and a best of 6/25. In all T20 cricket, Chahal has displayed his skills with 354 wickets from 305 T20 matches.

RCB Legacy and Continued IPL Dominance

A backbone in the bowling arsenal of Royal Challengers Bengaluru from 2014 to 2021, Chahal is their highest wicket-taker in the history of the franchise with 139 dismissals in 113 matches at an average of 22.03. Post his RCB tenure, Chahal moved over to the Rajasthan Royals in 2022 and almost led the team to consecutive playoffs for three years consecutively.

Purple Cap Winner and IPL’s All-Time Leading Wicket-Taker

Chahal has the highest number of wickets in IPL history. The left-arm orthodox spinner took 205 wickets from 160 matches at an average of 22.44 with the best performance being 5/44. In the unbelievable season of 2022, he won the Purple Cap, taking 27 wickets from 17 matches at an average of 19.51, including a match-winning 5/40.

IPL 2025 Mega Auction: Full list of unsold players