Jeddah to host IPL 2025 mega auction with 1,574 players in fray

Ahead of the auction, the October 31 deadline for player retentions saw a total of 46 players retained across the ten franchises (Pic: X)

The IPL 2025 mega auction, one of the most anticipated events on the cricket calendar, is set to take place on November 24 and 25 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. This marks the second consecutive year the auction will be held overseas, following Dubai's hosting of the 2024 edition.

The dates of the auction also coincide with the third and fourth days of the first Test between India and Australia in Perth, adding extra excitement to an already-packed cricket schedule.

The IPL mega auction, held every three years, is a two-day event that attracts massive attention from fans and experts alike. During this highly competitive auction, the ten IPL franchises will look to strategically build their squads for the 2025-27 seasons, making it one of the most-watched events in the sport.

This year's auction promises to be no different, with 1,574 players registered, including 1,165 Indian players and 409 overseas players, all hoping to secure a spot in the world's premier T20 league.

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Ahead of the auction, the October 31 deadline for player retentions saw a total of 46 players retained across the ten franchises. The retention process has already generated plenty of buzz, with some key players securing massive deals. Sunrisers Hyderabad's wicketkeeper-batter, Heinrich Klaasen, was the most expensive retention, valued at INR 23 crore. Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bangalore) and Nicholas Pooran (Lucknow Super Giants) were also retained for INR 21 crore each.

The highlight of retention day was Mumbai Indians securing their key Indian players - Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Rohit Sharma, and Tilak Varma - for a total of INR 75 crore.

Following the retentions, the franchises now have varying budgets for the auction. Each team has a total purse of INR 120 crore, but the available funds differ based on the number of players retained. Punjab Kings, who have retained only two uncapped players, Shashank Singh and Prabhsimran Singh, have the largest remaining budget of INR 110.5 crore.

In contrast, Rajasthan Royals, who retained the maximum allowed six players, have the smallest purse with INR 41 crore left. Kolkata Knight Riders, with INR 51 crore, are in a similar situation, having retained six players as well.

This year, teams were allowed to retain up to six players - five capped and up to two uncapped. The retention strategy also included the use of the Right-to-Match (RTM) option, which allows a franchise to match the highest bid for a player they retained from the 2024 squad. If another franchise places a higher bid, the original franchise can continue to match it, potentially driving the price even higher.

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In terms of RTM options, Punjab Kings hold the most, with four options available, having retained just two players. Royal Challengers Bangalore (three retentions) have three RTM options, while Delhi Capitals (four retentions) have two. Five franchises - Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings, Gujarat Titans, Sunrisers Hyderabad, and Lucknow Super Giants - each have one RTM option, while Rajasthan Royals and Kolkata Knight Riders, having retained six players, are without any RTM options.

The registration process for the IPL 2025 auction has now closed, with 1,574 players signed up for a spot in the league. This includes 320 capped players, 1,224 uncapped players, and 30 players from associate nations. Among the overseas players, Australia leads with 76 registrations, followed by South Africa (91) and England (52). Other notable countries include New Zealand (39), West Indies (33), Afghanistan and Sri Lanka (29 each), and the USA (10). Bangladesh, Ireland, Canada, Netherlands, Zimbabwe, Scotland, UAE, and Italy also have players vying for a spot in the auction.

Each franchise can field a maximum of 25 players, meaning a total of 204 slots will be up for grabs during the auction. With so much talent available, the event is expected to be fiercely competitive as teams look to strengthen their squads ahead of the 2025 season and beyond.

(With agency inputs)