&nbsp;In the IPL, talent comes at a price and sometimes, a very hefty one.
The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/search?title=mega+auction" rel="dofollow">2025 IPL mega auction</a> saw teams dig deep into their wallets, chasing big names with even bigger bids. Rishabh Pant went to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/search?title=LUCKNOW+SUPER+GIANTS" rel="dofollow">Lucknow Super Giants</a> for a jaw-dropping ₹27 crore, while Punjab Kings splashed ₹26.75 crore on <a href="https://www.wionews.com/search?title=SHREYAS+IYER" rel="dofollow">Shreyas Iyer.</a> These were eye-popping figures, but did the batters live up to the price tag?
As the league stage winds down, it's time to break down the price tag to see whether the franchise's investment in the players gave better returns.
Here's how much each run cost the top five most expensive batters in IPL 2025.
1. Rishabh Pant
Rishabh Pant was picked up for a massive $3.21 million (₹27 crore) in the IPL 2025 auction by Lucknow Super Giants, but his performances haven&rsquo;t matched the price tag. In 11 matches, he has scored only 128 runs, which means every single run has cost his team around $25,078 (₹21.42 lakhs).
2. Shreyas Iyer
Shreyas Iyer was signed by Punjab Kings (PBKS) for $3.18 million (₹26.75 crore), and he has delivered a steady season so far. With 405 runs in 11 games, each of his runs has come at a cost of about $7,582 (₹6.70 lakhs). He&rsquo;s been more consistent than most in the top-paid list and his captaincy has helped Punjab be in the top 2 of the points table.
<figure class="image"><img alt="GFX-2" src="https://img-cdn.publive.online/fit-in/1280x720/filters:format(webp)/wion/media/media_files/2025/05/14/nMERTaDj4eyJxNFpsLgx.jpg" style="width: 1280px;">
<figcaption>Photograph: (WION)</figcaption>
</figure>
3. Venkatesh Iyer
Venkatesh Iyer was bought for $2.83 million (₹23.75 crore), but the returns haven&rsquo;t been up to his price tag. He has managed just 142 runs in 11 matches, which means every run has cost KKR $ 19,929 (₹17.02 lakhs).
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4. Jos Buttler
Gujarat Titans(GT) picked Jos Buttler for $1.88 million (₹15.75 crore), and he&rsquo;s proven to be worth every penny. With 500 runs in just 11 matches, each run has cost the team only $3,760 (₹ 3.21 lakhs), the best value per run among the top five expensive batters. He is just 10 runs behind the orange cap leader Suryakumar Yadav.
5. KL Rahul
KL Rahul came into the season with a price tag of $1.67 million (₹14 crore). He has scored 381 runs in 10 games for Delhi Capitals. That brings his cost per run to around $4,383 (₹3.74 lakhs).
As IPL 2025 nears its end, it's clear that spending big doesn&rsquo;t always guarantee big returns. While some top-priced batters like Shreyas Iyer and Jos Buttler have delivered, others have struggled to match expectations for their price tag. In a tournament as competitive as the IPL, every run and every penny truly counts.
Sometimes, the question should be asked: Do players fall to the pressure of high price tags?
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The 2025 IPL mega auction saw teams dig deep into their wallets, chasing big names with even bigger bids. Rishabh Pant went to Lucknow Super Giants for a jaw-dropping ₹27 crore, while Punjab Kings splashed ₹26.75 crore on Shreyas Iyer. Cricket | Sports

In the IPL, talent comes at a price and sometimes, a very hefty one. The 2025 IPL mega auction saw teams dig deep into their wallets, chasing big names with even bigger bids. Rishabh Pant went to Lucknow Super Giants for a jaw-dropping ₹27 crore, while Punjab Kings splashed ₹26.75 crore on Shreyas Iyer. These were eye-popping figures, but did the batters live up to the price tag? As the league stage winds down, it's time to break down the price tag to see whether the franchise's investment in the players gave better returns. Here's how much each run cost the top five most expensive batters in IPL 2025. 1. Rishabh Pant Rishabh Pant was picked up for a massive $3.21 million (₹27 crore) in the IPL 2025 auction by Lucknow Super Giants, but his performances haven’t matched the price tag. In 11 matches, he has scored only 128 runs, which means every single run has cost his team around $25,078 (₹21.42 lakhs). 2. Shreyas Iyer Shreyas Iyer was signed by Punjab Kings (PBKS) for $3.18 million (₹26.75 crore), and he has delivered a steady season so far. With 405 runs in 11 games, each of his runs has come at a cost of about $7,582 (₹6.70 lakhs). He’s been more consistent than most in the top-paid list and his captaincy has helped Punjab be in the top 2 of the points table. Photograph: (WION) 3. Venkatesh Iyer Venkatesh Iyer was bought for $2.83 million (₹23.75 crore), but the returns haven’t been up to his price tag. He has managed just 142 runs in 11 matches, which means every run has cost KKR $ 19,929 (₹17.02 lakhs). Also Read | Two-time Olympic medalist Neeraj Chopra conferred with honorary rank of Lieutenant Colonel in Territorial Army 4. Jos Buttler Gujarat Titans(GT) picked Jos Buttler for $1.88 million (₹15.75 crore), and he’s proven to be worth every penny. With 500 runs in just 11 matches, each run has cost the team only $3,760 (₹ 3.21 lakhs), the best value per run among the top five expensive batters. He is just 10 runs behind the orange cap leader Suryakumar Yadav. 5. KL Rahul KL Rahul came into the season with a price tag of $1.67 million (₹14 crore). He has scored 381 runs in 10 games for Delhi Capitals. That brings his cost per run to around $4,383 (₹3.74 lakhs). As IPL 2025 nears its end, it's clear that spending big doesn’t always guarantee big returns. While some top-priced batters like Shreyas Iyer and Jos Buttler have delivered, others have struggled to match expectations for their price tag. In a tournament as competitive as the IPL, every run and every penny truly counts. Sometimes, the question should be asked: Do players fall to the pressure of high price tags?

Rs 21 lakhs per run? Shocking price tag of Top 5 expensive batters of IPL 2025 revealed. Check

See how many dollars each run has cost 5 richest batters of IPL 2025 featuring Jos Buttler, Rishabh Pant, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul and Venkatesh Iyer. Cricket | Sports | Photos

IPL 2025: Rishabh Pant's each run costs Rs. 21,42,000 to LSG - Check list of players with highest cost-to-run ratio

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) Sanjiv Goenka explained why he was adamant about having Rishabh Pant in his franchise for IPL 2025. In the recently-held IPL 2025 auction, in Saudi Arabia, Pant became the most expensive player, breaking the bank&nbsp;for INR 270 million (INR 27 crore). Goenka revealed how he saw a video of Pant and was keen to have someone like him&nbsp;in the LSG dressing room.

Talking on Aakash Chopra's YouTube channel, Goenka said, "I saw a video of Rishabh where he did&nbsp;dramebaazi&nbsp;(acting) on the field. He slowed the momentum (talking about Pant's act from the 2024 T20 World Cup final). I liked that attitude a lot, that you have that extra thought to change the momentum when everything was going against us by removing the pads. From that time, I had in my mind that if only Rishabh had been in my team."

"That one thing of his appealed to me a lot. Along with that, he came back from a near-fatal injury, and he has come back to a form which is better than his original form. So that resilience and ability to fight and rise again matter a lot. Rishabh is 27. So I hope he will be with LSG for the next 10-12 years."

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ajinkya-rahane-not-venkatesh-iyer-leads-race-to-captain-kkr-in-ipl-2025-report-780769">Ajinkya Rahane, not Venkatesh Iyer, leads race to captain KKR in IPL 2025 – Report</a>

Goenka also spoke about LSG's new-look squad, also comprising Mitchell Marsh, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Avesh Khan, Nicholas Pooran, Ravi Bishnoi, etc. "Our internal feeling is that our auction was excellent. Our focus was that our middle order and finishing should be extremely strong. Our No. 3 to No. 8 is very strong. Our second wish was to go with a completely Indian pace attack instead of international pace, and explosive international batters. Now we have got a combination of the two."

Hinting at the next captain, the owner added, "We have four leaders in our team - Rishabh, Pooran, Markram and Mitch Marsh. So it becomes a very strong leadership pool of intellect and thought, and strategy. They are all people who can go with the mindset to win. Rishabh has the hunger and passion to win. So a good team has been built. We are happy. Overall, the balance is also okay and no team is 10 on 10."

LSG complete squad for IPL 2025

David Miller, Ayush Badoni, Matthew Breetzke, Himmat Singh, Aryan Juyal, Rishabh Pant, Nicholas Pooran, Abdul Samad, Mitchell Marsh, Shahbaz Ahmed, Arshin Kulkarni, Yuvraj Choudhary, Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Aiden Markram, Mayank Yadav, Avesh Khan, Akash Deep, Mohsin Khan, Shamar Joseph, Akash Singh, Prince Yadav, Ravi Bishnoi, M Siddharth, Digvesh Singh

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) Sanjiv Goenka explained why he was adamant about having Rishabh Pant in his franchise for IPL 2025. In the recently-held IPL 2025 auction, in Saudi Arabia, Pant became the most expensive player, breaking the bank for INR 270 million (INR 27 crore).

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) Sanjiv Goenka explained why he was adamant about having Rishabh Pant in his franchise for IPL 2025. In the recently-held IPL 2025 auction, in Saudi Arabia, Pant became the most expensive player, breaking the bank for INR 270 million (INR 27 crore). Goenka revealed how he saw a video of Pant and was keen to have someone like him in the LSG dressing room. Talking on Aakash Chopra's YouTube channel, Goenka said, "I saw a video of Rishabh where he did dramebaazi (acting) on the field. He slowed the momentum (talking about Pant's act from the 2024 T20 World Cup final). I liked that attitude a lot, that you have that extra thought to change the momentum when everything was going against us by removing the pads. From that time, I had in my mind that if only Rishabh had been in my team." "That one thing of his appealed to me a lot. Along with that, he came back from a near-fatal injury, and he has come back to a form which is better than his original form. So that resilience and ability to fight and rise again matter a lot. Rishabh is 27. So I hope he will be with LSG for the next 10-12 years." Also read: Ajinkya Rahane, not Venkatesh Iyer, leads race to captain KKR in IPL 2025 – Report Goenka also spoke about LSG's new-look squad, also comprising Mitchell Marsh, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Avesh Khan, Nicholas Pooran, Ravi Bishnoi, etc. "Our internal feeling is that our auction was excellent. Our focus was that our middle order and finishing should be extremely strong. Our No. 3 to No. 8 is very strong. Our second wish was to go with a completely Indian pace attack instead of international pace, and explosive international batters. Now we have got a combination of the two." Hinting at the next captain, the owner added, "We have four leaders in our team - Rishabh, Pooran, Markram and Mitch Marsh. So it becomes a very strong leadership pool of intellect and thought, and strategy. They are all people who can go with the mindset to win. Rishabh has the hunger and passion to win. So a good team has been built. We are happy. Overall, the balance is also okay and no team is 10 on 10." LSG complete squad for IPL 2025 David Miller, Ayush Badoni, Matthew Breetzke, Himmat Singh, Aryan Juyal, Rishabh Pant, Nicholas Pooran, Abdul Samad, Mitchell Marsh, Shahbaz Ahmed, Arshin Kulkarni, Yuvraj Choudhary, Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Aiden Markram, Mayank Yadav, Avesh Khan, Akash Deep, Mohsin Khan, Shamar Joseph, Akash Singh, Prince Yadav, Ravi Bishnoi, M Siddharth, Digvesh Singh

LSG owner explains why he broke the bank for Rishabh Pant, hints who can lead franchise in IPL 2025

The 2025 IPL auction saw Rishabh Pant become the most expensive player in history, but some big names like David Warner, Kane Williamson, and Shardul Thakur went unsold.

No Takers for Warner & Williamson at IPL Auction

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Rs 21 lakhs per run? Shocking price tag of Top 5 expensive batters of IPL 2025 revealed. Check

IPL 2025: Rishabh Pant's each run costs Rs. 21,42,000 to LSG - Check list of players with highest cost-to-run ratio

LSG owner explains why he broke the bank for Rishabh Pant, hints who can lead franchise in IPL 2025

No Takers for Warner & Williamson at IPL Auction