Shreyas Iyer briefly held the title of the most expensive player in IPL history, but Rishabh Pant soon overtook him. Lucknow Super Giants signed Pant for a record-breaking ₹27 crore, making him the most expensive player in IPL history.
After releasing Pant before the mega auction, Delhi Capitals attempted to reclaim him using the RTM (Right to Match) card. However, Lucknow outbid them in the final round with ₹27 crore, leaving Delhi unable to match the price. In a dramatic turn of events, Lucknow secured Pant for the record-breaking amount.
Previously, Shreyas Iyer held the record with ₹26.75 crore, signed by Punjab during the 2025 mega auction. Before Iyer, Mitchell Starc was the most expensive player in IPL history, purchased by Kolkata for ₹24.75 crore during the 2024 auction. Pant’s ₹27 crore signing now breaks Iyer’s record and sets a new benchmark.
The bidding war for Pant was intense, with Lucknow competing fiercely against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Sunrisers Hyderabad. RCB dropped out after bidding ₹25 crore. Hyderabad then entered the fray, raising their bid to ₹19 crore before withdrawing when Lucknow increased the offer to ₹19.25 crore.
Despite withdrawing, Hyderabad re-entered the bidding war with ₹20 crore. Lucknow continued to match Hyderabad’s offers, finally securing Pant for ₹20.75 crore. Delhi then used its RTM card, prompting Lucknow to increase its bid to ₹27 crore. At this price, Delhi chose not to counter, allowing Lucknow to finalize Pant’s signing for ₹27 crore.