India’s Rishabh Pant becomes the most expensive player in IPL history

Lucknow picks Pant for a record $3.2m in the IPL auction, followed by Shreyas Iyer at $3.17m, taken by Punjab.

Indian wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant has become the most expensive player in Indian Premier League (IPL) history after being sold for a record $3.2m as teams splashed out on world-class cricketers for the lucrative Twenty20 tournament.

A total of 577 players are up for grabs at the two-day auction which began in Jeddah on Sunday.

Pant, England veteran James Anderson and New Zealand all-rounder Rachin Ravindra are among the top names on the auction list.

The 2023 record of $2.98m, paid by Kolkata Knight Riders for Australian pace bowler Mitchell Starc, was first breached by Punjab Kings, which snapped up Shreyas Iyer for $3.17m. Iyer, 29, captained Kolkata Knight Riders to their third IPL crown this year.

The bidding war intensified for Pant, who captained Delhi Capitals across three seasons but was released before this year’s mega auction and the Kolkata record for Iyer rapidly tumbled.

The IPL reported Lucknow Super Giants paid a “gigantic” $3.2m for the 27-year-old keeper-batsman.

Lucknow made the first move and fought off bids from Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Sunrisers Hyderabad as well as Delhi to rope in the player celebrated for his six-hitting ability and is likely to lead the franchise in the next season.