As the golden dunes of Jeddah prepare to host cricket’s most lavish shopping festival, the IPL 2025 Auction promises to shatter not just records, but the very ceiling that has contained player valuations for years. Yes, after months of anticipation, we finally stand on the verge of history. We are in touching distance to see out favorite IPL franchises add muscle to their already stacked rosters for at least not less than this three-year period. Among the star studded 577 players involve “mega” superstars – KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, Shreyas Iyer, Arshdeep Singh, Jos Buttler and many more.
The Rs 30-crore barrier, once thought impregnable, stands on shaky ground as a plethora of T20 talent await their destiny in Saudi Arabia on November 24-25. After Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins rewrote auction history last year, the stage is set for another chapter – one that could see the first homegrown player breach the not just the Rs 25-crore mark but even touch the Rs 30-crore target.
Biggest name: Rishabh Pant?
At the heart of this financial maelstrom stands Rishabh Pant, the destructive wicketkeeper-batter whose very presence in the auction pool has sent franchises scrambling to reassess their strategies. His unexpected availability, following a failed retention dialogue with Delhi Capitals (DC), has made this auction into a potential watershed moment in IPL history. Punjab Kings (PBKS), sitting pretty with a war chest of INR 110.5 crore, leads a hungry pack of suitors that includes RCB (INR 83 crore) and LSG (INR 69 crore).
Don’t forget: Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul
The auction’s intrigue deepens with the presence of not just Pant, but also Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul – three potential captains who could be goldust for every franchise. With five franchises – RCB, KKR, LSG, DC, and PBKS – all in the market for captains, these three names could trigger bidding wars that make Starc’s INR 24.75 crore deal secondary. Shreyas Iyer could be an ideal pick for Delhi Capitals, meanwhile, KL Rahul might be disappointed if not picked up by his local and former team, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB)
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Bring in some cash!
With a cumulative purse of INR 641.5 crore and 204 slots to fill, the franchises face a delicate balancing act. On average, this means, average value of per player would be a “Pi” (₹3.14 crore), provided each slot fills up. While the bigger names will undoubtedly dominate headlines, smart money might be spent on uncapped Indians and overseas specialists who could prove to be the difference between glory and mediocrity in IPL 2025. Not to forget, the likes of Mohammed Shami, Jofra Archer, Will Jacks, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Faf du Plessis, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Venkatesh Iyer among all the superb players available.
Purse remaining for all franchises after IPL 2025 retentions
| Team | Amount (in crores, INR) |
| Chennai Super Kings (CSK) | 55 |
| Mumbai Indians (MI) | 45 |
| Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) | 51 |
| Rajasthan Royals (RR) | 41 (Lowest) |
| Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) | 45 |
| Gujarat Titans (GT) | 69 |
| Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) | 83 |
| Delhi Capitals (DC) | 73 |
| Punjab Kings (PBKS) | 110.5 (highest) |
| Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) | 69 |
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