"Rishabh Pant with Pooran, imagine the destruction"- Fans react to LSG buying Team India wicket-keeper for INR 27 crore in IPL 2025 Auction
Team India wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant made history, becoming the most expensive player in IPL auction history. Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) overcame stiff competition from Royal Challengers Bengaluru and SunRisers Hyderabad in the bidding war before winning over the Delhi Capitals (DC) in the Right-To-Match (RTM) race to land Pant for a whopping ₹ 27 crore.
After missing the entire 2023 season with injury, the 27-year-old made a stunning return in IPL 2024 for the Capitals. Pant scored 446 runs at an average of over 40 and a strike rate of 155.40 in 13 outings.
The gloveman also captained DC since IPL 2021, providing LSG with a possible captaincy option for the next three years.
Pant also played a massive role in India's 2024 T20 World Cup win and his ability to bat anywhere in the middle order makes it a terrific buy for LSG.
Fans on Twitter could not hide their excitement after Pant made IPL history at the ongoing auction and reacted as follows:
The fan reactions continued with one saying:
"Rishabh Pant to Lucknow....Wow the best thing....Now I have a team to support in this IPL."
"Where is CSK for Rishabh Pant? All hype created by CSK that they want Rishabh Pant is Sold to a Crown Lucknow Supergiants for 27 Cr," tweeted a fan.
"Rishabh Pant the mad hitter, again hits it out of the park. Within minutes he breaks the record of being the most expensive player of IPL. He now belongs to Lucknow Super Giants at Rs.27.00 Crores," a fan said.
"Expect him to go 4-5 crores higher than Rs 25 crore" - Suresh Raina on Rishabh Pant's value in IPL 2025 auction
Former Indian batter Suresh Raina predicted Rishabh Pant to go for close to ₹30 crores in the IPL 2025 auction a few days before the event.
At 27, Pant is at the peak of his powers with an already excellent overall IPL record, boasting over 3,500 runs at an average of 148.93 in 111 matches.
In a recent interview with PTI, Raina said:
"More than his batting and keeping, he’s a great character to have in the team when he is a captain. Any owner or coach would not like to miss his X-factor. Punjab, Delhi, KKR, and RCB have the money. So, when he comes to the auction, expect him to go 4-5 crores higher than Rs 25 crore."
With Nicholas Pooran already retained, LSG have already picked up Pant and David Miller to form arguably the most destructive middle order in the IPL.