• Rishabh Pant became the most expensive player in the history of IPL during the 2025 auctions.

  • In 2008, MS Dhoni set the tone for high-value purchases when he was signed by Chennai Super Kings (CSK)

From MS Dhoni to Rishabh Pant: List of most expensive players bought in each IPL auction from 2008 to 2025
Most expensive players in IPL auctions (Image Source: X)

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The IPL 2025 mega auction witnessed a historic moment as Rishabh Pant was signed by Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) for a record-breaking INR 27 crore. The auction, held at the Abady Al Johar Arena in Jeddah, saw intense bidding wars, with Pant surpassing all previous IPL records to become the most expensive player ever in the league’s history.

Pant’s acquisition eclipsed the previous high set by Shreyas Iyer, who was purchased by Punjab Kings (PBKS) for INR 26.75 crore during the same event. Iyer, starting at a base price of INR 2 crore, became another highlight of the auction as fierce bidding between Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals (DC) saw his price soar past INR 24.75 crore. PBKS eventually secured Iyer for INR 26.75 crore, just shy of Pant’s record-breaking deal.

IPL auctions: A tradition of record-breaking deals

The IPL auctions have consistently pushed financial boundaries over the years. In 2008, MS Dhoni set the tone for high-value purchases when he was signed by Chennai Super Kings (CSK) for INR 9.5 crore. The following year, Kevin Pietersen and Andrew Flintoff overtook Dhoni’s record, each going for INR 9.8 crore to Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and CSK, respectively.

Also READ: Fans go gaga over Rishabh Pant’s record-breaking signing in the IPL 2025 mega auction for INR 27 crore to LSG

Most expensive player in each IPL season:

YearPlayerAmount (INR)Team
2008MS Dhoni9.5 croreChennai Super Kings
2009Kevin Pietersen, Andrew Flintoff9.8 croreRoyal Challengers Bangalore (Pietersen), Chennai Super Kings (Flintoff)
2010Kieron Pollard, Shane Bond4.8 croreMumbai Indians (Pollard), Kolkata Knight Riders (Bond)
2011Gautam Gambhir14.9 croreKolkata Knight Riders
2012Ravindra Jadeja12.8 croreChennai Super Kings
2013Glenn Maxwell6.3 croreMumbai Indians
2014Yuvraj Singh14 croreRoyal Challengers Bangalore
2015Yuvraj Singh16 croreDelhi Daredevils
2016Shane Watson9.5 croreRoyal Challengers Bangalore
2017Ben Stokes14.5 croreRising Pune Supergiant
2018Ben Stokes12.5 croreRajasthan Royals
2019Jaydev Unadkat and Varun Chakravarthy8.4 croreRajasthan Royals (Unadkat), Kings XI Punjab (Chakravarthy)
2020Pat Cummins15.5 croreKolkata Knight Riders
2021Chris Morris16.25 croreRajasthan Royals
2022Ishan Kishan15.25 croreMumbai Indians
2023Sam Curran18.5 crorePunjab Kings
2024Mitchell Starc24.75 croreKolkata Knight Riders
2025Rishabh Pant27 croreLucknow Super Giants

Also READ: Fans go wild as Preity Zinta-owned Punjab Kings buys Shreyas Iyer for INR 26.75 crore at IPL 2025 mega auction

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AKSHAT GAUR
Akshat is the Sr. Content Strategist at CricketTimes.com. With a passion for storytelling and a keen eye for detail, Akshat has honed his skills over 6 years, working with various media outlets, publications, and organizations to deliver high-quality content that informs, educates, and entertains audiences. He is just another cricket fan who’s grown up watching the likes of Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid. Cricket runs in his veins. Cover drive is his favorite sight, and a ball meeting the middle of the bat is his favorite sound. You can write to him at akshat.gaur@crickettimes.com and follow him on Twitter, Facebook & Linkedin.