IPL gets the most expensive new cricketer in a span of 20 minutes. Punjab Kings made history by signing Shreyas Iyer for the first time at the Abadi Al Zohar Arena in Jeddah today. Mitchell Starc set the record of becoming the most expensive cricketer in the last auction. Kolkata Knight Riders took the Australian pacer to the team for 24 crore 75 lakh rupees. Iyer broke that record first today. Preity Zinta's Punjab Kings took him to the team for 26 crore 75 lakh rupees.
But Iyer's record lasted only twenty minutes. A little later, Lucknow Super Giants brought Rishabh Pant to the team for 27 crore rupees. The Indian wicketkeeper-batsman is the most expensive cricketer in IPL history so far. Pant now in Australia to play Test series. The new IPL record from Perth may also be celebrating at the team hotel!
Between Delhi Capitals, Hyderabad and Lucknow, there was quite a row about Pant. Lucknow won in the end. Pant was the captain of Delhi in the last season of IPL. It is believed that the leadership of Lucknow may fall on his shoulders.
Kolkata won the title last time under Shreyas. However, the defending champions did not hold him back this time. In today's mega auction, several teams entered into a bidding war to get Iyer in the team. Kolkata was also in this war. And its price started to rise. In the end, Punjab Kings won this war. He was signed by Preity Zinta's Punjab for Rs 26 crore 75 lakh.
The 2025 IPL auction had a big surprise at the start. Indian pacer Arshdeep Singh, the first cricketer in the auction, was rushed by several teams. Sunrisers Hyderabad said 15 crores. But Arshdeep was bought by Punjab Kings for Rs 18 crore using RTM.
