Indian wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant made history by becoming the most expensive IPL player ever, securing a record-breaking Rs 27 crore deal with the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). The intense bidding war saw him surpass Shreyas Iyer’s previous record of Rs 26.75 crore, which was set earlier in the evening by Punjab Kings.
![Rishabh Pant to play for XXX after being bought for Rs. XXX [File]](https://images.indianexpress.com/2024/11/New-Project-5-2.jpg?w=640)
The Intense Bidding Drama
The auction for Pant was nothing short of dramatic, with Lucknow Super Giants and Delhi Capitals (DC) engaging in a fierce contest. DC initially used their Right to Match (RTM) option at Rs 20.75 crore, but LSG raised the stakes with a whopping Rs 27 crore bid, sealing the deal and making Pant the highest-priced player in IPL auction history.
The atmosphere was electric, with auctioneer calls nearly finalizing the deal multiple times, only for bidders to raise their paddles at the last moment. LSG mentor Zaheer Khan was visibly tense during the process, while team owner Sanjeev Goenka confidently made the decisive Rs 27 crore bid. The final act, much like Pant’s batting style, ended with a flourish.
𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗱-𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗥𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗯𝗵 🔝
Snippets of how that Historic bidding process panned out for Rishabh Pant 🎥 🔽 #TATAIPLAuction | #TATAIPL | @RishabhPant17 | @LucknowIPL | #LSG pic.twitter.com/grfmkuCWLD
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) November 24, 2024
Rishabh Pant’s IPL and T20I Journey
Pant, who debuted in the IPL in 2016 with the then Delhi Daredevils, has been a consistent performer. Elevated as captain in 2021, he accumulated an impressive 3,284 runs in 111 matches with a remarkable strike rate of 148.93. Despite his IPL success, his T20I career for India has been more modest, with 1,209 runs in 66 innings at a strike rate of 127.26.
Surprisingly, DC chose not to retain Pant ahead of the auction, paving the way for this historic bid. Pant will now aim to prove his mettle with Lucknow Super Giants in the upcoming season, striving to showcase his full potential and redeem his international T20 reputation.
Rishabh Pant’s record-breaking auction marks a milestone in IPL history, setting the stage for an exciting season ahead.
