IPL Auction 2025: Record-Breaking Buys, Biggest Deals, and Full List of Sold & Unsold Players

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (The Uttam Hindu): Jeddah, Saudi Arabia – The IPL Auction 2025 is underway, delivering historic moments and fierce bidding wars as franchises compete to build their squads for the upcoming season. Spread over two days, the auction has already seen record-breaking buys, with top players fetching astronomical amounts and some big names going unsold.

Rishabh Pant Makes History

India's star wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant stole the show, becoming the most expensive player in IPL history. The Lucknow Super Giants secured him for an unprecedented ₹27 crore, breaking the record set earlier in the day by Shreyas Iyer, who was picked up by the Punjab Kings for ₹26.75 crore.

Other Major Buys

Venkatesh Iyer became the most expensive non-marquee player, returning to the Kolkata Knight Riders for ₹23.75 crore.

Yuzvendra Chahal set a new benchmark for Indian spinners, being bought by the Punjab Kings for ₹18 crore.

Arshdeep Singh, the first player to go under the hammer, was retained by Punjab Kings for ₹18 crore via the Right to Match (RTM) card.

Ishan Kishan joined Sunrisers Hyderabad for ₹11.25 crore, a significant drop from his ₹15.25 crore valuation by the Mumbai Indians in 2022.

Auction Format

The auction follows a structured format, starting with marquee sets, followed by capped batters, all-rounders, wicketkeepers, capped bowlers, and uncapped players. The fast bowlers' category is currently underway, with names like Josh Hazlewood, Trent Boult, Avesh Khan, and Prasidh Krishna expected to attract substantial bids.

Notable Unsold Players

Despite their illustrious careers, some big names failed to find buyers:

David Warner (Australia)

Devdutt Padikkal (India)

Jonny Bairstow (England)

Top Purchases So Far

1. Rishabh Pant (Lucknow Super Giants): ₹27 crore – Costliest player in IPL history.

2. Shreyas Iyer (Punjab Kings): ₹26.75 crore – Second-highest bid of the auction.

3. Venkatesh Iyer (Kolkata Knight Riders): ₹23.75 crore – Highest outside the marquee set.

4. Jos Buttler (Gujarat Titans): ₹15.75 crore.

5. KL Rahul (Delhi Capitals): ₹14 crore.

6. Mitchell Starc (Delhi Capitals): ₹11.75 crore.

Day 2 and Accelerated Bidding

The auction will continue with capped bowlers and conclude with uncapped players. An accelerated round will follow, where franchises nominate players for quick bidding sessions.

With 204 slots to fill and intense competition among the franchises, the IPL Auction 2025 promises to set the stage for an exciting season ahead. Stay tuned for more updates as the bidding progresses.