IPL Auction 2025: Rishabh Pant, Shreyas Iyer grabbed like hot cakes by Lucknow Super Giants and Punjab Kings - What Does It Mean To Indian Cricket?

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IPL 2025 Auction: There has been some kind of crazy chase between Rishabh Pant and Shreyas Iyer in the past vis a vis the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025. Shreyas was supposed to be taken up by Delhi Capitals, before he got injured, many seasons ago.

The captaincy job then landed in the lap of Pant. On Sunday, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, the kind of bidding war in IPL 2025 Auction which began with Arshdeep Singh, first and then moved to Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant was interesting.

Shreyas was picked by Punjab Kings for Rs 26.75 crores. If that was breathtaking, the way Sunrisers Hyderabad and Lucknow Super Giants battled it out for Pant was mind-boggling. At Rs 27 crores, it was a done deal for Pant, the new Nawab of Lucknow. Also Read: Twitter reacted hilariously after Punjab Kings buy Shreyas Iyer for record amount

On a day when eyes were focussed on the Perth Test between India and Australia in the BGT Series, many had been warming up for the live auction for IPL 2025. It was also being discussed on YouTube by OneIndia as well and a few more platforms.

This just went to show how much interest is there in the auction, once described by the late Peter Roebuck, a celebrated cricket writer, as a 'cattle auction.' Today it was not about cattle or fodder, this was about two superstars being part of the demand and supply trade called the IPL auction.

It is OK to understand Pant is a celebrity and superstar, for his performances and what he has been doing in international cricket since his comeback. One felt happy for Shreyas Iyer, winning captain of KKR in IPL 2024, who was most sought.

There were more than three teams chasing him but Punjab Kings, which also picked up Arshdeep, was keen to seal the deal with him. Shreyas has been out of favour with the BCCI, he figures in no international team like Tests, ODIs or T20 internationals. He also was stripped of his central contract.

Damn, who cares, he was a hot buy and picked up by Punjab, a side with not many great records in the IPL. At the same time, it was also clear, that while using the RTM (right to match), KKR were not willing to go big with the spend on Shreyas.

Never mind, a winning captain who smashed a ton in the SMAT (Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy) event a day before, is still thought of as a star player, someone who can lead. Imagine, a Tamilian born in Mumbai and now going to lead Punjab Kings, this is fun. That Shreyas has a market value is clear and as the current winning captain he will be watched keenly in 2025 as well.

At the same time, it was surprising Rishabh Pant was not chased too hard by RCB and Chennai Super Kings. Lucknow seemed to have made up their mind they would go for him, come what may.

And for all those who watched the auction play out in Riyadh, Pant being bought at Rs 27 crores was as fast as he scores runs in any match. People talk of records being broken in cricket, for now, auctions have broken a few records! The best part, Indians are raking in the moolah!