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‘My Heart Was Racing...’ The Inside Story of Rishabh Pant’s Record-Breaking IPL Deal
Rishabh Pant, the newly appointed captain of the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), recently revealed the anxiety he experienced during the IPL mega auction while touring Australia with the Indian cricket team.
While watching the auction with captain Rohit Sharma, Pant admitted to feeling immense pressure as his name neared the top of the bidding list. He particularly dreaded being picked by the Punjab Kings, who possessed a massive purse.
Speaking on Star Sports during the 'LSG Special Live' show, Pant recalled the moment, "We were watching the auction on our phones, and it was on roaming. We were worried about data charges (laughs). Rohit bhai had just arrived, and we decided to watch it together. I was waiting for my name to come up, but it was at the end of the list. I wasn't sure whether to watch it or not, but eventually, I did with Rohit bhai."
Pant admitted the pressure started to build up as the bidding intensified, especially since Punjab Kings (PBKS) had the second-highest purse at the time with ₹112 crore. “I started feeling nervous, thinking that PBKS might go for me,” he said.
"In the beginning, I thought I could end up at LSG, but you never know how things will unfold in an auction. I was mentally prepared to watch the whole process with my fingers crossed."
Ultimately, Pant made history by becoming the most expensive player in IPL history when LSG secured him for a staggering ₹27 crore. This broke the previous record set by Shreyas Iyer, who was bought by PBKS for ₹26.75 crore.
Pant’s price tag surpassed that of Iyer and even Australia’s Mitchell Starc, whose return to the IPL was marked by a ₹24.75 crore bid.
The bidding war between LSG and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) heated up, with Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) also entering the fray. Delhi Capitals (DC) attempted to use their 'Right To Match' card, but LSG’s bid proved unbeatable, securing Pant’s services for the massive sum.