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The IPL 2025 mega auction will be held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on Sunday, November 24 and Monday, November 25.
A total of 574 players will be up for hire at the auction out of which 366 are Indians and 208 from overseas.
Rishabh Pant, Shreyas Iyer, K L Rahul and Arshdeep Singh headline the top bracket of elite players who will all start with a base price of Rs 2 crore (Rs 20 million).
Punjab Kings, with the highest auction purse of Rs 110.5 crore (Rs 1.105 billion), will aim to set the stage on fire, while Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Delhi Capitals, Gujarat Titans and Lucknow Supergiants will also be in the hunt for impactful signings.
The top 10 stars at the IPL 2025 mega auction:
Rishabh Pant
Pant was surprisingly released by Delhi Capitals after disagreements with the management team over appointment of new coaches and support staff.
Earlier this year, Pant made a successful comeback from a serious car crash and given his blazing knocks with the bat in the Test series against Bangladesh and New Zealand, the wicket-keeper-batter is expected to trigger a huge bidding war at the auction.
Pant did well in IPL 2024, scoring 446 runs in 13 games at a strike rate of 155, with three fifties. Overall in the IPL, he boasts of a superb strike rate of 148, scoring 3,284 runs 111 games.
Don't be surprised if Punjab Kings pursue Pant aggressively, which would reunite him former DC coach Ricky Ponting. He is expected to go past Mitchell Starc's record price of Rs 24.75 crores (Rs 247.5 million), which Kolkata Knight Riders paid for in the mini auction last year.
Shreyas Iyer
Iyer's release was a major shock, especially a few months after leading KKR to the IPL 2024 title.
Iyer could be in demand during the auction with quite a few teams looking out for a new captain.
There are reports that Delhi Capitals could break the bank to get back Iyer while RCB may also be keen to add him to their line-up.
After missing IPL 2023 because of injury, Iyer took charge with the bat in IPL 2024, scoring 351 runs in 14 games at a strike rate of 146.
Iyer is another star player whose price is expected to go beyond Rs 20 crore (Rs 200 million).
Arshdeep Singh
Punjab's decision to release Arshdeep was startling.
Arshdeep, who played a key role in India's T20 World Cup triumph earlier this year, has been one of the most consistent bowler in T20 Internationals and the IPL in the last three years.
Punjab retained only two uncapped players, Shashank Singh and Prabhsimran Singh. They have the largest purse -- Rs 110.5 crore -- which could see them completely rebuild their team under new coach Ricky Ponting.
Arshdeep, who impressed during the South Africa T20I series with eight wickets from four games, is known for his ability to swing the new ball and deliver yorkers at the end.
Punjab would look to use the RTM option to get back Arshdeep, but with several teams interested in the young pacer, the fierce demand could see his price go past Rs 20 crore.
Ishan Kishan
Kishan had a below-par IPL 2024, scoring just one fifty in 14 games for a total of 320 runs at a strike rate of 148.
He lost his India central contract after opting not to play the Ranji Trophy and has subsequently fallen out of favour across formats.
Mumbai Indians opted to retain Tilak Varma ahead of Kishan among their five retentions. With Rs 45 crore (Rs 450 million) left in their kitty, MI might find it difficult to get back Kishan at the auction.
He is a target for several teams including LSG, Delhi Capitals, Gujarat Titans and RCB.
Kishan was bought for Rs 15.25 crore (Rs 152.5 million) at the IPL 2022 mega auction and he looks set for another windfall this time too.
Overall, he has played 105 matches for MI, hitting 2,644 runs at a strike rate of 135, with 16 half-centuries.
Washington Sundar
After his dream comeback in the New Zealand Test series, Washi could command significant interest at the IPL auction.
He hasn't had a good time in the last few IPLs, as a spate of injuries saw him play just nine games in the last two seasons.
However, a fitter and determined Washi looks keen to make up for lost time. The spinner is capable of bowling in the Powerplay overs and is handy with the bat with his power hitting.
He was released by Sunrisers Hyderabad who bought him for Rs 8.75 crore (Rs 87.5 million) at the IPL 2022 mega auction and retained him for the next two seasons.
Washi could draw interest from Chennai Super Kings, Mumbai Indians, Delhi Capitals, Gujarat Titans and Punjab Kings, taking his bid past the Rs 20 crore mark.
K L Rahul
Rahul was released by Lucknow Super Giants after the team failed to make it to the play-offs, while he also struggled to make a mark with the bat.
Rahul's strike rate has been a big talking point, as he scored 520 runs in 14 games at a strike of 136 last season.
Despite criticism of his strike rate, Rahul's experience as a batter and a captain makes him an attractive target.
RCB, in the hunt for a new captain, could try their best to bring the Karnataka batter back to his home ground, while Delhi Capitals and Gujarat Titans may also be interested.
Mitchell Starc
Starc returns to the auction after creating history last season!
Starc was bought by Kolkata Knight riders for a whopping Rs 24.75 crore and he proved to be worth every penny. After a slow start, the Australian pacer played a crucial role in KKR's title triumph with a match-winning spell in the final against SRH.
Overall, he picked up 17 wickets in 14 games at a high economy rate of more than 10.
He could once again be in high demand during the auction for his ability to deliver in big games.
Jos Buttler
Rajasthan Royals' decision to release Buttler was unexpected. A constant presence in the team since 2018, Buttler was retained ahead of the IPL 2022 mega auction.
Buttler is one of the most destructive opening batters in T20 cricket and his strike rate of 147 for 3,582 runs in 107 IPL matches proves testimony to.
He had a stellar run in IPL 2022, when he smashed 863 runs at a strike rate of 149, with four centuries and as many fifties.
Royals, who retained six players, don't have any RTM option left which could pave the way for Buttler's move to a new team at the auction.
Yuzvendra Chahal
Chahal was another loyal performer who was released by Royals despite his consistency.
He loved playing for the Royals whom he joined during the IPL 2022 mega auction. He was very consistent with the ball for the Royals, picking up 66 wickets in 46 games.
The 34-year-old leg-spinner is the leading wicket-taker in the IPL with 205 wickets in 160 matches at an impressive economy rate of 7.84.
Teams like MI, Punjab, SRH and Titans are in the lookout for an experienced spinner which could see some fierce competition for Chahal.
Glenn Maxwell
Even though he has been inconsistent, Maxwell remains a favourite at every IPL auction.
His ability to destroy bowling attack using unconventional shots like reverse sweeps and switch hits makes him a standout batter in T20 cricket, while he is also quite handy with the bat.
Maxwell had a forgettable showing with the bat in IPL 2024, managing just 52 runs in 10 games for RCB with a best of 28, but was useful with the ball, taking six wickets at an economy rate of eight.
He enjoys a good record in T20 cricket, having scored 10,052 runs in 449 matches at a strike of 153.
RCB could use their RTM option to get back Maxwell, who enjoys a good bonding with Virat Kohli. Punjab Kings with Ponting as head coach and Delhi, with their new coaching staff, could also bid heavily for the spin all-rounder.
Photographs: BCCI