Despite buying three of the top five costliest picks in IPL 2025 and spending ₹110.50 crore in the IPL auction, this team lost 19 players.

By Daisy Atino Earlier the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had asked all the IPL franchises to confirm their list of retained players by October 31

The IPL 2025 mega auction unfolded in Jeddah over two days on November 24 and 25, with teams picking from a shortlist of 577 players. Lucknow Super Giants made history, securing Rishabh Pant for a record-breaking bid of Rs 27 crore.

The all-rounder had skipped the IPL 2024 season to manage his workload. He entered the IPL 2025 mega auction but went unsold. Shakib’s name wasn’t even brought up in the auction.

Delhi Capitals co-owner Parth Jindal disclosed that differences in operational philosophy led to the franchise not retaining Rishabh Pant after the IPL mega auction. Pant was subsequently sold to Lucknow Super Giants,

Rishabh Pant joined Lucknow Super Giants for Rs 27 crore in the IPL 2025 mega-auction. Chennai Super Kings were expected to bid heavily for the wicketkeeper-batsman but they didn't make even one bid for him.

Despite a total of Rs 639.15 cr being spent, only 182 out of 577 shortlisted players were sold in the IPL 2025 mega auction. Image: BCCI/IPL

Venkatesh Iyer, the most expensive all-round player in IPL history, was bought by Kolkata Knight Riders, for a record-breaking Rs 23.75 crore on Day 1 of the auction, garnering headlines.

The IPL 2025 Auctions saw that some of the former captains not make their way back to the previous franchises. KKR did bid for Shreyas Iyer but backed out and allowed him to join PBKS in the end.