IPL 2025 Mega Auction Day 1 Highlights: Rishabh Pant Shatters Records with ₹27 Crore Deal; Shreyas Iyer Fetches ₹26.75 Crore 

IPL 2025 Mega Auction Day 1 Highlights: Rishabh Pant Shatters Records with ₹27 Crore Deal; Shreyas Iyer Fetches ₹26.75 Crore

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 mega auction kicked off with a bang on November 24 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The auction witnessed unprecedented bidding wars, setting new records in the tournament's history. Indian wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant became the most expensive player in IPL history after being snapped up by the Lucknow Super Giants for a staggering ₹27 crore.

Rishabh Pant and Shreyas Iyer: Record-Breaking Deals

Earlier in the day, Shreyas Iyer briefly held the record for the most expensive buy when Punjab Kings acquired him for ₹26.75 crore. However, his reign lasted just 22 minutes before Lucknow Super Giants outbid all others to secure Rishabh Pant, making him the costliest purchase in IPL history.

Both players' signings marked a trend of aggressive spending by franchises eager to secure high-impact Indian players ahead of the 2025 season.

Day 1 Auction Highlights

• Total Players: 574 players were shortlisted from an original pool of 1,574.
• Slots Available: 204 slots, including 70 reserved for overseas players.
• Retention Before Auction: 46 players retained by franchises, utilizing ₹558.5 crore of the available budget.
• Funds Remaining: ₹641.5 crore spread across 10 franchises.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) meticulously organized the auction, dividing it into 12 sets for the opening day. The sequence was confirmed during the pre-auction briefing on Saturday night.

Players to Watch on Day 2

Day 2 is set to be equally thrilling, with international and local stars such as Faf du Plessis, Sam Curran, and Prithvi Shaw expected to draw massive bids.

Overview of IPL 2025 Mega Auction

This year’s auction is being held in Jeddah, marking the first time the IPL has hosted such an event outside India. The auction pool includes:

• 208 international players
• 12 uncapped international players
• 318 uncapped Indian players

What Lies Ahead

Day 2 promises intense competition among franchises to finalize their squads for the upcoming season. With ₹641.5 crore still in play, the stakes are high for securing game-changing talent.

Stay tuned for more updates on the IPL 2025 mega auction as the bidding wars continue!

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Author: This article was meticulously compiled by Jitendra Gawali, a passionate cricket enthusiast and seasoned blogger dedicated to delivering quality sports coverage.