In a historic Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 auction held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Shreyas Iyer was bought by Punjab Kings for a staggering ₹26.75 crore, becoming the second-most expensive Indian player in IPL history. However, his record-breaking moment was short-lived as former Delhi Capitals skipper Rishabh Pant was snapped up by Lucknow Super Giants for ₹27 crore minutes later.

The auction witnessed intense bidding wars, especially for Shreyas Iyer, as Punjab Kings edged out Delhi Capitals to secure the former Kolkata Knight Riders captain. Iyer’s stellar IPL stats, which include 3,127 runs in 115 matches at an average of 32.24 and 21 half-centuries, made him a hot property.

The IPL 2024 winning captain, Shreyas Iyer has been one of the most consistent performers in the IPL. In 115 outings, Iyer has aggregated 3127 runs at an average of 32.24 and strike rate of 127.48. The attacking top order batter has become a key member of Team India’s white ball squad which makes him worthy of the second-highest price tag in the IPL.

Punjab Kings Retains Arshdeep Singh with RTM CARD for IPL 2025 

Meanwhile, Punjab Kings made headlines earlier by using the Right To Match (RTM) card to retain Arshdeep Singh for ₹18 crore after Sunrisers Hyderabad raised their bid.

In another marquee deal, Australian pacer Mitchell Starc, who was previously with Kolkata Knight Riders, was picked by Delhi Capitals for ₹11.75 crore.

The IPL 2025 auction features 81 players in the ₹2 crore base price bracket, including seven marquee Indian stars. Shreyas Iyer’s recent form, including a scintillating T20 century in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2024, added to his auction appeal.

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This mega auction sets the stage for an electrifying IPL 2025, with franchises going all out to bolster their squads.