Long before the IPL mega auction this year, reports indicated that Rishabh Pant was likely to be the most expensive player. The Lucknow franchise ensured that prediction came true by bidding a staggering Rs 27 Crore. It's hard to imagine that his first IPL contract in 2016 was worth just Rs 1.9 Crore. Those who follow the game closely also quickly realized that Pant's current per-season salary exceeds that of Mumbai Indians' five-time IPL-winning captain, Rohit Sharma (Rs 16.30 Crore), as well as the Rs 21 Crore commitment made by RCB to retain Virat Kohli, who holds the records for the most runs and most centuries in the IPL.

A closer look at this begs the question: Did LSG decide to loosen their purse strings to this extent simply because they needed a captain?

Some buys of course catch everyone by surprise, but mostly a player's IPL price tag is a very reliable parameter to gauge just how hot a property he is at that time - both on the field for the team and fans and off the field for the sponsors.

The reasons behind teams rushing to buy a player are manifold - current form, overall skills, leadership qualities (for potential captains), impact that the player has had and can potentially have in the future, how mentally malleable the player is so that he can fit into any team culture, age and therefore possible longevity, popularity among fans, corporate brands and social media presence etc. And in the case of some players, it's that very rare x-factor - something that makes them stand out in a crowd. Multiple teams expressed their interest in securing the services of the 27-year-old Pant at the auction this time and the ultimate price tag, that clinched the deal for Lucknow, is one that has never been paid to an IPL player before.

But then, when it comes to Rishabh Pant, there's no doubt that as long as he plays his own unique brand of cricket, he will remain a hot property. And that's the case despite his T20 numbers not exactly being scintillating. His overall IPL batting average stands at 35.31, with eight........

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