Shreyas Iyer Becomes Most Expensive Player In IPL History After Punjab Kings Acquire Him For INR 26.75 Crore

Shreyas Iyer, the captain who led his team to victory in the 2023 IPL, has once again captured attention by setting a new record at the 2024 IPL mega auction. Punjab Kings, with co-owner Preity Zinta at the helm, secured Iyer for an unprecedented INR 26.75 crore, making him the most expensive player in IPL history.

The acquisition of Iyer was the auction's highlight as Punjab Kings outbid Sunrisers Hyderabad and Delhi Capitals in a tense bidding war. With the largest budget going into the auction, Punjab was determined to secure their star target.

As bids soared past INR 20 crore, fans and analysts were left in disbelief. When the final bid reached INR 26.75 crore, Punjab had broken all previous records. This bold move sparked widespread debate on social media, with opinions divided over Punjab's strategy.

Some questioned whether spending such a large portion of their budget on one player was wise. Concerns arose about how this might affect the team's overall balance and financial strategy.

One fan humorously remarked, "Punjab Kings ❌ Punjab Clowns ✅ Who even spends 26.75 crores on Shreyas Iyer? ????"

Another critic expressed skepticism: "PBKS have just totally blown their entire big stack advantage buying Shreyas Iyer... Spending 25% of their budget on one batter is utterly absurd."

Criticism continued with another user suggesting that Punjab Kings misallocated funds by prioritising an area that shouldn't have been their focus. The account stated: "PBKS have just totally blown their entire big stack advantage buying Shreyas Iyer for 26.25 Cr."

A humorous post read: "Bhai Shreyas Iyer 26+ crores. Normala Sithharaman, time to take away the purse of PBKS and DC immediately."

Iyer's IPL Journey

Iyer's journey in IPL has been impressive since he was picked by Delhi Daredevils (now Capitals) in 2015 for INR 2.6 crore. He scored 439 runs in his debut season and won the Emerging Player of the Year award, establishing himself as a promising talent.

Over six seasons with Delhi, Iyer consistently delivered strong performances, scoring over 400 runs in four seasons. His leadership skills also stood out as he captained the team, earning a reputation as a reliable performer.

In 2022, Iyer joined Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) as captain and led them to an IPL title in 2023. His batting prowess and leadership made him one of the most sought-after players at the auction.