Discover 5 cricketers who made IPL owners spend big. The bank with record-breaking bids at the auction. Big names, big money. The Indian Premier League 2025 mega auction has ended. The two-day event in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, turned many cricketers into millionaires and lived up to the excitement. Players like Rishabh Pant, Shreyas Iyer, and Venkatesh Iyer were sold for huge amounts, while some teams got great players at bargain prices based on their skills and potential.
The Indian Premier League 2025 mega auction is now over. The two-day event in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, turned many cricketers into millionaires and was as exciting as everyone expected. Players like Rishabh Pant, Shreyas Iyer, and Venkatesh Iyer were sold for huge amounts, while teams also got great deals on some players who could make a big difference.
A total of 182 players were sold for an incredible INR 639.15 crore. Out of these, 62 were international players, showing India’s strong presence in the league. Teams also used eight right-to-match (RTM) cards, which made the auction even more thrilling. Players like Rachin Ravindra (CSK), Jake Fraser-McGurk, Mukesh Kumar (Delhi Capitals), Sai Kishore (Gujarat Titans), Shamar Joseph (Lucknow Super Giants), Naman Dhir (Mumbai Indians), Arshdeep Singh (Punjab Kings), and Swapnil Singh (Royal Challengers Bengaluru) returned to their original teams through the RTM option.
5. Yuzvendra Chahal to Punjab Kings for ₹18 crore
Yuzvendra Chahal, the top wicket-taker in IPL history with over 200 wickets, got a lot of attention at the auction. He was eventually bought by Punjab Kings for ₹18 crore. Surprisingly, Rajasthan Royals, his old team, didn’t bid for him at all.
The bidding started with Gujarat Titans offering ₹2 crore. Chennai Super Kings joined in but backed out when Gujarat raised the bid to ₹5.75 crore. Then Punjab Kings entered the competition. Gujarat soon dropped out, and Lucknow Super Giants joined the bidding. However, when Punjab raised their offer to ₹14 crore, Lucknow stepped aside. Finally, Royal Challengers Bengaluru jumped in, possibly trying to bring Chahal back to their team after letting him go earlier.
But Punjab Kings used their Right to Match option, and SRH increased their bid to ₹18 crore. Without waiting, Punjab Kings matched the amount and brought Arshdeep back to their team.
4. Arshdeep Singh back with Punjab Kings for ₹18 crore
Left-arm fast bowlers are always in high demand in the IPL, so it was no surprise that Arshdeep Singh got a lot of attention because of his recent good performance in T20 cricket. The bidding started with Chennai Super Kings making the first bid of ₹2 crore.
A tough fight followed between Delhi Capitals and CSK. When DC raised the bid to ₹7.50 crore, CSK dropped out. Then, Gujarat Titans joined in, with their coach Ashish Nehra leading the bids against DC. Soon, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Punjab Kings, and Rajasthan Royals also joined the bidding, all wanting to sign Arshdeep.
It looked like the deal was done when SRH, led by Kavya Maran, offered ₹15.75 crore. But Punjab Kings used their Right to Match option, making SRH raise their bid to ₹18 crore. Punjab Kings didn’t hesitate and matched the amount, keeping their star bowler.
3. Venkatesh Iyer to KKR for ₹23.27 crore
After losing their captain Shreyas Iyer, Kolkata Knight Riders focused on getting all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer, who plays for Madhya Pradesh in domestic cricket. But buying him wasn’t easy because of a tough bidding war.
At first, KKR had to compete with Lucknow Super Giants, who stayed in the fight until Kolkata offered ₹7.75 crore, forcing LSG to back out. Just when it seemed like KKR had won, Royal Challengers Bengaluru joined the bidding, leading to a longer battle.
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RCB kept going until KKR raised their bid to ₹23.75 crore. At that point, RCB stepped back, and KKR finally got their player. Some experts, however, feel that KKR paid too much for Iyer. This has led to talk that the left-handed batter might become their new captain.
2. Shreyas Iyer to Punjab Kings for ₹26.75 crore
Shreyas Iyer, who led Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to their third IPL title, caused a big bidding fight at the auction. At first, KKR and Punjab Kings (PBKS) competed hard, raising the bid to ₹7 crore. PBKS then stepped back for a moment, leaving KKR to fight with Delhi Capitals (DC).
KKR seemed determined to get their captain back but surprised everyone by pulling out when DC raised the bid to ₹10 crore. KKR CEO Venky Mysore looked shocked by the decision. Just when it looked like DC might win, PBKS jumped back in, leading to an intense bidding war that pushed the price up to ₹26 crore. In the end, PBKS won the bid.
Interestingly, Shreyas Iyer has worked with PBKS head coach Ricky Ponting before when they were both with Delhi Capitals.
1. Rishabh Pant to Lucknow Super Giants for ₹27 crore
Wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant was expected to be one of the most wanted players in the IPL auction, with high hopes that he would fetch a huge amount. As predicted, Pant became the most expensive player, but surprisingly, it was not Punjab Kings leading the bidding. Instead, it was Lucknow Super Giants (LSG).
When Pant’s name was called, the crowd at the Abady Al Johar Arena cheered loudly. LSG and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) quickly raised the bid to ₹11 crore. But when LSG pushed it to ₹11.25 crore, RCB dropped out, and Sunrisers Hyderabad joined the bidding.
An intense battle between LSG and SRH followed, driving the price up to ₹20.75 crore. Just as LSG seemed ready to win, Delhi Capitals (DC) used their Right to Match card, bringing the bid back into play. Finally, LSG raised the bid to a record-breaking ₹27 crore, and DC stepped out, leaving LSG to win the star player.
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