NEW DELHI: Rishabh Pant created history by becoming the most expensive buy ever in an IPL auction as Lucknow Super Giants broke the bank to acquire the wicketkeeper batter during the mega auction in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on Sunday.
After being released by the Delhi Capitals, Pant became the most sought-after player in the auction, sparking a fierce bidding war before Lucknow Super Giants outbid Sunrisers Hyderabad and Delhi Capitals to acquire him for a staggering Rs 27 crore.
For the first time in his IPL career, Pant will don the jersey of a franchise other than Delhi Capitals, having played every season for them since making his debut in 2016.
Pant has overtaken Australian pacer Mitchell Starc as the most expensive player in IPL history. Starc was bought by the IPL 2024 champions, Kolkata Knight Riders, for a jaw-dropping Rs 24.75 crore last year.
The 27-year-old Pant returned to captain the Delhi Capitals in IPL 2024 after being away from competitive cricket for more than a year following a serious car accident in December 2022.
India’s top wicketkeeper-batsman and the franchise parted ways after their disappointing sixth-placed finish and Pant entered the auction with a base price of Rs 2 crore.
Pant established his reputation through his aggressive batting style and fearless attitude. His most successful batting performance came during IPL 2018, where he accumulated 684 runs whilst maintaining a strike rate of 173.60.
During IPL 2019, Pant emerged as DC’s second-highest scorer with 488 runs at a strike rate of 162.66, contributing significantly to the team’s first playoff qualification since 2012.
When Shreyas Iyer suffered an injury before IPL 2021, Pant was appointed as DC’s captain. Under his leadership, the team reached the summit of the points table before the Covid-19 pandemic interrupted the season. Upon the tournament’s resumption later in 2021, DC retained Pant as their skipper.
Pant was retained by the Delhi Capitals in 2022 for Rs 16 crore per season for the next three editions of the IPL.
In 111 IPL matches, Pant has scored 3,284 runs at an impressive average of 35.31 and a strike rate of 148.93, including one century and 18 fifties. Across all T20s, the left-handed batter has amassed 5,022 runs in 202 matches at an average of 31.78.
