IPL 2025 Auction: Shreyas Iyer Becomes Second-Highest Bid, SOLD to Punjab Kings for ₹26.75 Crore

The IPL 2025 auction in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, saw Shreyas Iyer create waves as he became the second-most expensive player in IPL history. After an intense bidding war between Delhi Capitals and Punjab Kings, Iyer was eventually SOLD to Punjab Kings for a whopping ₹26.75 crore.

Iyer's bid, however, fell just short of the record-breaking ₹27 crore that Lucknow Super Giants paid for Rishabh Pant, who now holds the title of the most expensive player in IPL history.

Reflecting on IPL auction history, MS Dhoni was the most expensive player in the inaugural 2008 edition, acquired by Chennai Super Kings (CSK) for ₹9.5 crore. Dhoni has been synonymous with CSK ever since, apart from the two seasons when the franchise was suspended, during which he played for Rising Pune Supergiant.

Over the years, the IPL auctions have seen players with hefty price tags deliver on their value. An exception was the 2010 auction, where Kieron Pollard and Shane Bond fetched ₹4.8 crore each. Adjusted for inflation, their bids would now equate to double-digit crore values.

With Shreyas Iyer's record-smashing move to Punjab Kings, the IPL 2025 auction is setting a new benchmark for player valuations and reaffirming the league's status as the pinnacle of cricketing extravagance.