Indian wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant has become the most expensive player in Indian Premier League history, signed by the Lucknow Super Giants for 27 crore (AU$4.92 million).
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The 27-year-old, currently playing the first Test against Australia in Perth, will join the Super Giants for the 2025 edition of the glamorous T20 tournament, having represented the Delhi Capitals since 2019.
Pant surpassed the previous record of 26.75 crore, set a few minutes earlier by Indian teammate Shreyas Iyer.
Following a tense bidding war with the Capitals, Ricky Ponting’s Punjab Kings secured the services of Iyer for $4.87 million. The 29-year-old led the Knight Riders towards an IPL title last summer, smacking 351 runs at 39.00 with a strike rate of 146.86.
Meanwhile, veteran paceman Josh Hazlewood cashed in with a $2.29 million contract at Royal Challengers Bengalaru. He was the highest-priced of the seven Australians that were sold on night one, with the likes of long-time national teammate David Warner so far unsold.
Left-arm quick Mitchell Starc was signed by the Delhi Capitals for $2.14 million, sold for less than half of what he received last year. National teammate Marcus Stoinis was one of the highest-selling all-rounders in the auction, signed by Punjab Kings for $2 million.
Rising star Jake Fraser-McGurk was snapped up by the Capitals for $1.64 million.
Veteran all-rounder Glenn Maxwell also went to Punjab Kings, for $765,000, while Mitchell Marsh went to Lucknow Super Giants for $620,000. Leg-spinner Adam Zampa was bought by Sunrisers Hyderabad for $436,000.
There was something about the Iyer last name in Saudi Arabia last night, with Venkatesh Iyer going for a cool $4.3m to his long-time side the Kolkata Knight Riders.
The 29-year-old has played just two ODI’s and nine T20I’s for India, but had a seriously good season in 2024 – averaging just over 46 with the bat at a strike rate of 158.79.
SIZZLING START
The auction started on a sizzling note when Indian quick Arshdeep Singh began a bidding war, which ended with Punjab getting the left-arm pace bowler for $3.26 million.
This year, Australian left-arm quick Starc was not retained by Kolkata — and went to Delhi for $1.39 million.
Rival England fast bowler Jofra Archer cost the same amount as Hazlewood for the Rajasthan Royals, cashing in $2.29m, while his English teammate Harry Brook will have $1.13m hit his account in due course.
New Zealand quick Trent Boult returned to five-time winners Mumbai Indians for $1.48m.
Afghanistan spinner Noor Ahmad had a big pay day as he went to five-time champions Chennai Super Kings for $1.81 m, as did India pace bowler Mohammed Shami to Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Gujarat Titans paid $2.85 million for England white-ball skipper Jos Buttler.
South African veteran David Miller was expected to cause an all-out bidding war, and was snapped up by the Lucknow Super Giants for $1.29m.
EXCHANGE RATE EXPLAINED
1 crore = 10 million rupees. 10 million rupees = approx. $182.4k AUD
1 lakh = 100,000 rupees. 100,000 rupees = approx. $1,824 AUD
ULTIMATE GUIDE: 37 Aussies set to go under the hammer as $120m mega bonanza explained
Starc’s cheeky CHIRP at IPL teammate | 00:12
AUSTRALIANS UP FOR GRABS AT IPL AUCTION
NEW SOUTH WALES
Sean Abbott* — UNSOLD, $364,000 AUD base price
Ollie Davies — UNSOLD, $54,600 AUD base price
Ben Dwarshuis — UNSOLD, $136,500 AUD base price
Josh Hazlewood* — $2.29m AUD, sold to Royal Challengers Bengaluru
Chris Green — UNSOLD, $182,000 AUD base price
Josh Philippe — UNSOLD, $136,500 AUD base price
Tanveer Sangha — UNSOLD, $136,500 AUD base price
Steve Smith* — UNSOLD, $364,000 AUD base price
Mitchell Starc* — $2.14 million AUD, sold to Delhi Capitals
Adam Zampa* — $437,760 AUD, sold to Sunrisers Hyderabad
QUEENSLAND
Xavier Bartlett* — UNSOLD, $136,500 AUD base price
Ben McDermott — UNSOLD, $136,500 AUD base price
Michael Neser — UNSOLD, $136,500 AUD base price
SOUTH AUSTRALIA
Alex Carey* — UNSOLD, $182,000 AUD base price
Jake Fraser-McGurk — $1.64 million AUD, sold to Delhi Capitals
Spencer Johnson — UNSOLD, $364,000 AUD base price
TASMANIA
Nathan Ellis* — UNSOLD, $227,500 AUD base price
Riley Meredith — UNSOLD, $273,000 AUD base price
VICTORIA
Josh Brown — UNSOLD, $54,600 AUD base price
Glenn Maxwell* — $765,000 AUD, sold to Punjab Kings
Matthew Short — UNSOLD, $136,500 AUD base price
Will Sutherland — UNSOLD, $136,500 AUD base price
WESTERN AUSTRALIA
Ashton Agar — UNSOLD, $227,500 AUD base price
Hilton Cartwright — UNSOLD, $136,500 AUD base price
Cooper Connolly — UNSOLD, $136,500 AUD base price
Aaron Hardie* — UNSOLD, $227,500 AUD base price
Josh Inglis* — UNSOLD, $364,000 AUD base price
Mitchell Marsh* — UNSOLD, $364,000 AUD base price
Lance Morris* — UNSOLD, $227,500 AUD base price
Jhye Richardson* — UNSOLD, $273,000 AUD base price
Ashton Turner — UNSOLD, $182,000 AUD base price
UNCONTRACTED
Jason Behrendorff — UNSOLD, $273,000 AUD base price
Tim David — UNSOLD, $364,000 AUD base price
Daniel Sams — UNSOLD, $273,000 AUD base price
Marcus Stoinis — $2m AUD, sold to Punjab Kings
Andrew Tye — UNSOLD, $136,500 AUD base price
David Warner — UNSOLD, $364,000 AUD base price
*Denotes a player contracted with Cricket Australia
CONVERSION RATE: 1 crore (10,000,000 Indian rupee) = $182,000 AUD
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