The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 mega auction will feature some of Indian cricket’s biggest stars, with players like Rishabh Pant, Shreyas Iyer, and KL Rahul expected to fetch massive paychecks. While the scale of the auction might mean players won’t command the same inflated prices as in mini-auctions, former India cricketer and pundit Aakash Chopra believes the record for the most expensive IPL player, set by Mitchell Starc before IPL 2024, could still be broken.
“Rishabh Pant. I’m saying it again. He could still become the most expensive player in IPL history,” Chopra said on his YouTube channel. “He could even go beyond Rs 25-26 crore.”
Pant was not retained by Delhi Capitals ahead of the mega auction, ending his nine-year association with the franchise. After playing a key role in India’s T20 World Cup 2024 victory as the first-choice wicketkeeper-batter and showing great form in Test cricket, Pant is expected to be one of the most sought-after players in the auction.
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Chopra predicts intense bidding for Pant, particularly from teams like Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). “I can see three teams going all out for him. One has Rs 110 crore (PBKS), one has Rs 83 crore (RCB). They’ll be in a bidding war, and a lot of money will be spent,” Chopra remarked.
Although Pant’s former franchise, Delhi Capitals, has the third-highest auction purse, it’s unlikely they will bid for him, even with the Right to Match (RTM) card.
Pant could be in the midst of international duty during the auction, as the first Test between India and Australia overlaps with the auction dates. The Test will be held from November 22 to 26, while the auction will take place in Jeddah on November 24 and 25.