The 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) mega auction will bring some of the biggest names in Indian cricket under the hammer. As of Rishabh pants, Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul among other things, all are advised to pick up massive pay checks at the mega auction. With this being a mega auction and with teams having to fill an entire roster, players may not reach the huge mini-auction prices. However, the former India cricketer has become an expert Akash Chopra consider the record for the most expensive IPL buy ever, set by Mitchell Starc before IPL 2024, it could still be broken.

“Rishabh Pant. I’ll say it again. He could still become the most expensive player in IPL history,” Chopra said, YouTube channel.

“It could even go above Rs 25-26 crore,” Chopra continued.

Pant was not retained by Delhi Capitals ahead of the mega auction, ending a nine-year connection. After winning the T20 World Cup 2024 this year as India’s first-choice wicket-keeper batsman as well as being in excellent form in Test cricket, Pant is expected to be the most expensive signing of the mega auction IPL.

Chopra said he could see several teams locked in a bidding war for Pant, suggesting that Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) would be particularly interested.

“I see three teams absolutely going hammer and tongs for him. One has Rs 110 cr (PBKS), one has Rs 83 cr (RCB). They will fight each other and spend a lot of money,” Chopra predicted.

While Pant’s former franchise Delhi Capitals has the third-highest auction purse, they are unlikely to buy or retain him through a Right to Match (RTM) card.

Pant is likely to be in the middle of the cricket action during the auction days as the first Test between India and Australia clash on the auction dates.

The first Test will be held from November 22 to November 26, while the auction will be held in Jeddah on November 24 and 25.