IPL 2025

IPL Auction 2025 Day 1 Highlights: Top Buys, Biggest Deals, and Team Updates

Nov. 25, 2024

Key Highlights of IPL 2025 Auction Day 1

  • Record-breaking day sees ₹467.95 crore spent
  • Rishabh Pant becomes most expensive player in IPL history
  • 68 players sold, 4 retained through RTM
  • Punjab Kings emerge as most aggressive buyers
The IPL Auction 2025 kicked off in spectacular fashion at the Al Johar Abadi Arena in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Day 1 was packed with drama, as franchises splurged a staggering ₹467.95 crore to secure their dream squads. Out of the 84 players presented on Day 1, 72 were sold, while 12 went unsold, leaving fans and analysts buzzing about the choices. The headline grabbers were Rishabh Pant and Shreyas Iyer, who etched their names into IPL history with record-breaking deals. Pant became the most expensive player ever, with Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) locking him in for a whopping ₹27 crore. Punjab Kings followed closely, securing Shreyas Iyer for ₹26.75 crore.

📌 Top 15 Buys of Day 1 Auction

Here’s a snapshot of the top deals and how the teams invested their resources:
Player Name Price (INR) Team
Rishabh Pant ₹27 crore Lucknow Super Giants
Shreyas Iyer ₹26.75 crore Punjab Kings
Venkatesh Iyer ₹23.75 crore Kolkata Knight Riders
Arshdeep Singh ₹18 crore Punjab Kings
Yuzvendra Chahal ₹18 crore Punjab Kings
Jos Buttler ₹15.75 crore Gujarat Titans
KL Rahul ₹14 crore Delhi Capitals
Trent Boult ₹12.5 crore Mumbai Indians
Jofra Archer ₹12.5 crore Rajasthan Royals
Josh Hazlewood ₹12.5 crore Royal Challengers Bengaluru
Mohammad Siraj ₹12.25 crore Gujarat Titans
Ishan Kishan ₹11.25 crore Sunrisers Hyderabad
Jitesh Sharma ₹11 crore Royal Challengers Bengaluru
T. Natarajan ₹10.75 crore Delhi Capitals
Mohammed Shami ₹10 crore Sunrisers Hyderabad

Record-Breaking Purchases

  • Rishabh Pant became the most expensive IPL signing ever at ₹27 crore, joining Lucknow Super Giants (LSG).
  • Shreyas Iyer followed closely with a bid of ₹26.75 crore by Punjab Kings (PBKS).
  • Both bids surpassed last year's ₹24.75 crore record for Mitchell Starc.

Punjab Kings’ Aggression

Punjab Kings entered with the largest purse (₹110.50 crore) and spent ₹88 crore on eight players, including:
  • Shreyas Iyer (₹26.75 crore)
  • Arshdeep Singh (₹18 crore)
  • Yuzvendra Chahal (₹18 crore)

Lucknow Super Giants’ Big Play

LSG emptied a significant chunk of their budget on Rishabh Pant, solidifying their plans for the upcoming season.

💎 Top Buys Among Uncapped Players

Player Name Price (INR) Team
Rasikh Salam ₹6 crore Royal Challengers Bengaluru
Naman Dhir ₹5.25 crore Mumbai Indians
Nehal Wadhera ₹4.2 crore Punjab Kings
Abdul Samad ₹4.2 crore Lucknow Super Giants
Ashutosh Sharma ₹3.8 crore Delhi Capitals
The auction wasn’t just about the marquee names. Uncapped players like Rasikh Salam and Naman Dhir commanded high bids, proving their growing importance in the league.

R. Ashwin’s Homecoming to CSK

One of the most heartwarming moments of the auction was R. Ashwin’s return to Chennai Super Kings (CSK). The veteran off-spinner, who started his IPL journey with CSK, was bought for ₹9.75 crore, marking a homecoming for one of the league’s most decorated players. Ashwin joins a strong CSK squad with fresh signings like Devon Conway (₹6.25 crore) and Noor Ahmad (₹10 crore). His experience and leadership will be invaluable as CSK builds on its legacy as a five-time champion franchise.

💰 Remaining Purse Balance After Day 1 Auction

Teams were strategic, keeping funds for Day 2 and the accelerated auction process. Here’s where the franchises stand in terms of remaining purse:
Team Purse Remaining (INR)
Royal Challengers Bengaluru ₹30.65 crore
Mumbai Indians ₹26.10 crore
Punjab Kings ₹22.50 crore
Gujarat Titans ₹17.50 crore
Rajasthan Royals ₹17.35 crore
Chennai Super Kings ₹15.60 crore
Lucknow Super Giants ₹14.85 crore
Delhi Capitals ₹13.80 crore
Kolkata Knight Riders ₹10.05 crore
Sunrisers Hyderabad ₹5.15 crore

📖 Auction Strategy Insights

Core Retention

  • Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super Kings focused on retaining their core, securing key players like:
    • Venkatesh Iyer (KKR) for ₹23.75 crore.
    • Rachin Ravindra (CSK) through an RTM card.

Star Power vs. Depth

  • Teams like LSG and PBKS invested heavily in marquee players, while Mumbai Indians adopted a conservative approach, signing fewer players.

Overseas Talent

  • The auction saw significant bids for overseas players like Jos Buttler (₹15.75 crore) and Trent Boult (₹12.5 crore).

What to Expect on Day 2

The auction will resume with 32 players up for bidding before moving into the accelerated phase from player No. 117 onwards. With several teams still having substantial purse remaining, we can expect more strategic battles for key players and possibly some surprise picks in the uncapped category.

What’s Next?

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