 "Rishabh Pant and Shreyas Iyer")
The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 mega auction witnessed historic bids and dramatic returns as franchises vied to strengthen their squads for the upcoming season. The auction, held in Jeddah on Sunday, broke multiple records with jaw-dropping purchases and saw some of cricket’s biggest names grabbing headlines. Here’s a roundup of the key highlights from Day 1 of the auction.
IPL 2025 mega auction: Total spending
On the opening day of the mega auction, the 10 IPL franchises spent a staggering Rs 467.95 crore to acquire 72 players, while 12 players, including David Warner, remained unsold. Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) now hold the largest purse for Day 2, while Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) have the least remaining budget.
IPL 2025 mega auction: Record-breaking purchases
Rishabh Pant created history by becoming the IPL’s most expensive player, fetching an unprecedented Rs 27.75 crore. This remarkable feat eclipsed the previous record held by Australian pacer Mitchell Starc, who was sold for Rs 24.75 crore in a past season. Pant’s journey has been inspirational, as the wicketkeeper-batsman bounced back from a near-fatal car accident in 2022 to achieve this milestone.
Shreyas Iyer, who led Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to their third IPL title earlier this year, was bought by Punjab Kings (PBKS) for Rs 26.75 crore. Iyer’s comeback after being left out of the BCCI central contracts list further cemented his status as a marquee player.
Venkatesh Iyer returned to KKR for Rs 23.75 crore, following a fierce bidding war with RCB.
IPL 2025 mega auction: Notable bids
Mitchell Starc, the league’s previous costliest player, joined Delhi Capitals (DC) for Rs 11.75 crore, a sharp drop from his earlier record.
Gujarat Titans (GT) bolstered their batting line-up by securing Jos Buttler for Rs 15.75 crore and also invested in South African pacer Kagiso Rabada for Rs 10.75 crore.
Veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin returned to Chennai Super Kings (CSK) for Rs 9.75 crore, marking an emotional homecoming for fans and the player alike.
PBKS retained their star pacer Arshdeep Singh using the Right to Match (RTM) option at Rs 18 crore, matching the amount they paid for leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal. Despite his exclusion from India’s T20 World Cup squad, Chahal remained a high-value purchase.
Former Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) captain KL Rahul was a bargain buy for DC at Rs 14 crore. Meanwhile, seasoned bowler Mohammed Shami found a new home with SRH for Rs 10 crore.
IPL 2025 mega auction: Surprising outcomes
Some high-profile players like David Warner and Jonny Bairstow went unsold, raising eyebrows among fans and analysts alike.
DC used their RTM to reclaim Australian batter Jake Fraser-McGurk for Rs 9 crore. However, IPL stalwart David Warner surprisingly went unsold on the first day, with no takers for his Rs 2 crore base price.
Jonny Bairstow, who also had a base price of Rs 2 crore, remains unsold.
IPL 2025 mega auction: Remaining budgets
After Day 1, RCB held the largest remaining budget of Rs 30.65 crore, while SRH had the smallest, at Rs 5.15 crore.
Day 2 of the IPL 2025 auction will begin at 3.30 pm on Monday.
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 "Venkatesh Iyer of Kolkata Knight Riders plays a shot during Vivo Indian Premier League between Mumbai Indians and Kolkata Knight Riders, at Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi (Photo: PTI)")
