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December 22, 2024
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The Indian Premier League (IPL) has always been a spectacle of cricket’s commercial and competitive pinnacle, and the 2025 edition is poised to be no different. The IPL 2025 Mega Auction, set to take place on November 24 and 25 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, is not just an event but a festival where cricketing talent meets the war chest of IPL franchises. With several high-profile players either returning or newly added to the auction pool. Among them, Jofra Archer’s inclusion has caught the cricketing world’s attention alongside USA pace sensation Saurabh Netravalkar.
Here’s detailed look into what promises to be one of the most anticipated auctions in IPL history.
Location: For the second time, the IPL auction will be held overseas, this year in Jeddah, marking a historic first for the event in the Middle East.
Timing: The auction will kick off at 12:30 PM local time (3:00 PM IST) on November 24 and continue for two days, aligning with the third and fourth days of Australia vs. India Test match in Perth.
Slots Available: With each team allowed to assemble a squad of up to 25 players, there are 204 slots up for grabs, including 70 slots for overseas players.
Base Prices: Players have set their base prices, with the highest being INR 2 crore, a bracket chosen by 81 players.
Marquee Sets: The auction starts with two sets of marquee players to ensure high interest and competitive bidding from the outset.
Marquee Set 1: Jos Buttler (England), Shreyas Iyer (India), Rishabh Pant (India), Kagiso Rabada (South Africa), Arshdeep Singh (India), Mitchell Starc (Australia).
Marquee Set 2: Yuzvendra Chahal (India), Liam Livingstone (England), David Miller (South Africa), KL Rahul (India), Mohammed Shami (India), Mohammed Siraj (India).
Other Notable Players: Ishan Kishan (India), R Ashwin (India), Harshal Patel (India), Deepak Chahar (India), David Warner (Australia), Glenn Maxwell (Australia), Faf Du Plessis (South Africa), Quinton de Kock (South Africa), Marcus Stoinis (Australia), Sam Curran (England).
Retention Strategy: Teams were allowed to retain up to six players, with the option of using Right-to-Match (RTM) cards during the auction.
Punjab Kings: With INR 110.5 crore, they have the largest purse, having retained only two players, Shashank Singh and Prabhsimran Singh, indicating a strategy to rebuild.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Delhi Capitals, Gujarat Titans and Lucknow Super Giants also have significant purses, suggesting they might aim to buy back key players or add new talent.
Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals have opted for full retentions, implying a strategy to strengthen their existing squads.
Player Movements: Expect high-profile players like Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, and Rishabh Pant to be in the limelight, possibly changing teams or being retained through RTMs.
Emerging Talent: The auction always brings forward new faces. Teams often look for untested talent that could be the next big find.
Overseas Stars: Mithcell Starc, Jofra Archer and others like them could see bidding wars, especially considering past auction prices and performances.
Innovations: With the IPL constantly evolving, expect teams to look for players who can adapt to new rules or strategies, like the Impact Player rule introduced in previous seasons.
The IPL 2025 Mega Auction is not just about teams spending money; it’s about crafting teams that could potentially redefine the league’s competitive balance. With a blend of seasoned stars, promising youngsters, and international talent, the auction i set to be a cricketing carnival.