The biggest cricket shopping festival is over. The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 mega auction saw as many as 182 players get sold and Rs 639.15 cr spent by the teams overall. Among the 182 players, 62 were overseas. Overall, 395 players remained unsold in the IPL mega auction. While the likes of Rishabh Pant, Shreyas Iyer, and KL Rahul headlined the sold players, it were David Warner, Prithvi Shaw, and Shardul Thakur among the huge names left out. But, are CSK and MI’s squad not good enough? Apart from this, Monday, November 25, also saw Team India script an unbelievable Test win over Australia in Perth, with Jasprit Bumrah at the helm. India also got the Rohit Sharma boost as the incumbent skipper joined the team and even practiced upon his arrival. On that note, let us look at the top six cricketing stories from November 25.
Virat Kohli to be RCB skipper again?
The Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) are facing a captaincy conundrum after Faf du Plessis jumped ship to the Delhi Capitals for a steal of ₹2 crore in the IPL 2025 auction. RCB didn’t manage to land any out-and-out captaincy candidates too, leading to the possibility that Virat Kohli might reclaim the captain’s armband, a role he stepped down from in 2021. RCB’s decision to let du Plessis go was questionable, and with most top captains already snapped up by other teams, it looks like Kohli might be the best bet to lead RCB.
UNSOLD Prithvi Shaw overweight?
Prithvi Shaw went unsold in the IPL 2025 mega auction, with no franchise bidding for him at his base price of ₹75 lakh. Shaw’s history of controversy, discipline issues, and struggles with fitness have likely contributed to his lack of appeal. Recent incidents, including being dropped from Mumbai’s Ranji Trophy team for being overweight, have put his commitment under a question mark. As a result, franchises have chosen not to take a chance on him. At 75 lakh, he would’ve been a steal buy, at least on paper.
CSK IPL 2025 squad not great?
The Chennai Super Kings (CSK) is one of the three franchises that finished the IPL 2025 mega auction with 25 players. However, their squad lacks depth, particularly in the middle and lower middle order. Despite securing top-order batters like Devon Conway and Rahul Tripathi, the team’s reliance on Shivam Dube and unproven players like Vijay Shankar and Vansh Bedi is a concern. The massive investment (combined Rs 19.75 crore) in spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Noor Ahmed has left CSK with limited options for middle-order batters. This weakness may be exposed, especially in away games, making CSK’s squad less formidable than what many percieve.
MI IPL 2025 squad not great?
Similar to CSK, the Mumbai Indians (MI) might not have built a well-rounded team for IPL 2025. Despite retaining a strong core, including Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, and Jasprit Bumrah, they lack depth in Indian pacers and a reliable wicketkeeper. The team is overdependent on unproven players like Ryan Rickelton and Robin Minz. MI also missed opportunities to sign players like Glenn Maxwell, Wanindu Hasaranga, and Washington Sundar, who went for low prices. Morever, there is also overdependence on Deepak Chahar, who was bought for a hefty fee of Rs 9.25 crore. While Will Jacks is a solid option, there are several holes in the team.
Musheer Khan YES, Sarfaraz Khan NO
Sarfaraz Khan, who made his India debut in 2024, surprisingly went unsold at the IPL 2025 Auction, despite a base price of ₹75 lakh. In contrast, his brother Musheer Khan was picked up by Punjab Kings (PBKS) for ₹30 lakh. Musheer, an all-rounder, has shown promise in domestic cricket, scoring 716 runs and taking 8 wickets in 9 first-class matches. It was quite fascinating to see Sarfaraz Khan go unsold, as many franchises could’ve benefitted from his presence. After all, Sarfaraz’s confidence would’ve been at an all-time high.
1st BGT Test in pocket for India!
India achieved a historic 295-run victory in the first Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Perth. After being bowled out for 150 on the opening day, India staged a remarkable comeback. Jasprit Bumrah’s five-wicket haul and fine performances from Mohammed Siraj and debutant Harshit Rana helped India knock Australia out for 104. Yashasvi Jaiswal’s 161 and Virat Kohli’s unbeaten 100 then set up a massive 534-run target for Australia, which they failed to chase, succumbing to India’s potent bowling attack. Bumrah was named the player of the match. However, as per Bumrah, his ‘real’ Player of the Match was someone else!
