IPL 2025: Most Expensive Buys By All 10 Franchises In Mega Auction
![Rishabh Pant and Shreyas Iyer earned record bids. [Source: @mufaddal_vohra & @KKRiders/X]](https://onecricketnews.akamaized.net/parth-editor/oc-dashboard/news-images-prod/1733225554460_PantIyer.jpg?im=Resize=(650,450)?type=mq)
Rishabh Pant and Shreyas Iyer earned record bids. [Source: @mufaddal_vohra & @KKRiders/X]
Excluding retained players, 10 Indian Premier League franchises shelled out a cumulative sum of INR 166 crore to buy their most expensive players during the recently concluded mega auction ahead of the 18th season of the tournament. The list includes two record-breaking bids in the history of IPL auctions.
The list includes four potential captains, four wicket-keeper batters, three fast bowlers, one batter, one all-rounder and one spinner. As far as nationalities are concerned, five Indians and as many overseas cricketers feature in the below mentioned list.
Chennai Super Kings
Noor Ahmad (INR 10 crore)
A franchise known for its tryst with spinners, Chennai Super Kings invested as much as INR 10 crore on Afghanistan spinner Noor Ahmad in Jeddah last month. Ahmad, who represented Gujarat Titans between 2022-2024 for INR 30 lakh per season, received a whopping increment to his IPL salary.
In what remains one of the highlights of the auction, Ahmad emerged as the only player whose salary got doubled under the new RTM rule. CSK, who placed a winning bid of INR 5 crore to not let Mumbai Indians secure the 19-year-old player, eventually doubled the amount once GT expressed interest in the left-arm spinner. With Ahmad the sixth-highest T20 wicket-taker this year, he is doubtlessly one of the best buys for his new IPL franchise.
Delhi Capitals
KL Rahul (INR 14 crore)
Having bid aggressively but unsuccessfully in search of a captain, Delhi Capitals eventually bagged India batter KL Rahul for INR 14 crore after missing former captains Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant. Readers must note that DC entered the race at INR 11 crore to snap Rahul from rival franchises namely Kolkata Knight Riders, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Chennai.
Yet to be formally announced as their captain, Rahul has led Punjab Kings and Lucknow Super Giants 64 times across the last five seasons. Overall, Delhi will be the 32-year-old player’s fifth IPL franchise after RCB, Sunrisers Hyderabad, PBKS and LSG.
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Gujarat Titans
Jos Buttler (INR 15.75 crore)
Expected to be bought by Gujarat as a replacement for Wriddhiman Saha, England white-ball captain Jos Buttler’s third IPL franchise will ensure that he remains in West Zone. Although there’s no doubting Buttler’s price tag of INR 15.75 crore, whether he’ll keep wickets in the IPL after having relinquished the job in international cricket will be interesting to see.
Buttler, who entered the auction for the first time since 2018, invited immediate interest from Rajasthan Royals and Titans. In spite of Punjab and Lucknow also expressing keenness for the Englishman, GT managed to acquire his services on the back of an INR 5.75 crore hike from his previous salary.
Kolkata Knight Riders
Venkatesh Iyer (INR 23.75 crore)
Among the 182 sold players, India all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer, who hasn’t played an international match in almost three years now, popped up as the biggest surprise of the two-day event. Despite all his heroics during IPL 2024 playoffs, no one would’ve expected the Madhya Pradesh player to surpass the 20-crore mark.
One of the key players not retained by KKR, the 29-year-old witnessed the franchise defying all odds by outbidding Super Giants and Royal Challengers. Had Kolkata retained him, they would’ve surely saved a lot of money to further improve their performance on the auction table.
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Lucknow Super Giants
Rishabh Pant (INR 27 crore)
If the RTM option doubled Ahmad’s IPL 2025 price, it allowed India wicket-keeper batter Rishabh Pant to benefit the most monetarily. A brutal bidding war including LSG, Bangalore and SRH resulted in the former acquiring Pant for INR 20.75 crore.
However, as expected, with Capitals exercising their RTM option, Lucknow increased the price by INR 6.25 crore to buy the most expensive player in the history of the biggest T20 league across the globe.
Mumbai Indians
Trent Boult (INR 12.50 crore)
One of Mumbai’s best buys during this auction, welcoming veteran New Zealand fast bowler Trent Boult for a second stint has unequivocally called for the best pace-bowling attack across all the teams. While RR kick-started the bidding process for someone they failed to retain, they faced instant competition from Super Giants before MI handed the left-arm bowler with his highest-ever IPL salary.
Punjab Kings
Shreyas Iyer (INR 26.75 crore)
Having lost his captaincy to Pant at Delhi, India batter Shreyas Iyer also lost the tag of the costliest IPL buy to him minutes after himself getting sold for a record amount. PBKS, who entered the auction with the highest purse and in need of a skipper, splurging INR 26.75 crore on a title-winning captain wasn’t astonishing. Currently leading Mumbai in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, the right-handed batter has worked successfully with Punjab head coach Ricky Ponting in the past.
Rajasthan Royals
Jofra Archer (INR 12.50 crore)
While LSG made the first bid for England spearhead Jofra Archer, Rajasthan and Mumbai, two franchises he’s plied his trade for in the past, tried their best to buy back an X-factor player. Having already lost Boult to Indians, Royals ensured to buy back Archer, who was the Player of the Tournament for them during IPL 2020, in spite of his injury-prone body.
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Royal Challengers Bangalore
Josh Hazlewood (INR 12.50 crore)
The third overseas pacer to become the most expensive player for a franchise, Australia fast bowler Josh Hazlewood has returned to RCB for a second stint after having represented them between 2022-2023. Co-incidentally, much like Boult and Archer, Hazlewood was also sold for INR 12.50 crore.
Having missed IPL 2024 due to personal reasons, the 33-year-old player also received bids from Lucknow, Kolkata and MI.
Sunrisers Hyderabad
Ishan Kishan (INR 11.25 crore)
Not part of the Indian squad at the moment, wicket-keeper batter Ishan Kishan managed to keep his IPL stakes afloat in spite of not providing the best of returns to Indians during the course of a seven-year stint.
Capable of floating in the batting order, Kishan, among SRH's best buys, would likely be given a top-order spot at Hyderabad. IPL 2024 finalists, the Pat Cummins-led side shelved more money than MI, PBKS and DC after entering at a staggering INR 10.25 crore.
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