More than 1500 players from across the world have signed up for the IPL 2025 auction, which is supposed to be held later this month in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Breaking tradition, this year’s auction will be held in Saudi Arabia, instead of Dubai, signaling the country’s growing interest in Indian sports.
However, it’s important to note that not all the players who have registered for the auction will go under the hammer. All ten teams will provide a prospective list of the players they are targeting and only those names will go to auction. There's a host of Indian marquee players who will be in the market, after being released by their respective franchises. All eyes will be on the troika of Rishabh Pant, Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul, as they are expected to go at record prices.
Which Players Have A Base Price of ₹2 crore in IPL 2025?
There are 204 slots in ten franchises, but each franchise can only have up to 25 players in their squad. Out of 1574 players who have signed up for the auction, 304 have played for their respective countries. Players are allowed to set their base price for the auction, which they do depending on their performance. 24 Indian players have set their base price at a maximum value of ₹2 crore. They include stalwarts like Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul, and Shreyas Iyer, as well as rising talents like Washington Sundar, Arshdeep Singh and Ishan Kishan. Among overseas talent, Mitchell Starc, after commanding a record fee of ₹24 crore last year, has been released by Kolkata Knight Riders.
Surprise Entries in the IPL 2025 Auction
A statement that not even the most die-hard fans would have seen coming: James Anderson has registered his name for the IPL 2025. After bidding adieu to Test cricket as a bonafide legend, Anderson now wants to sprinkle his magic in the shortest format of the game. Of course, the Indian conditions will hamper his tricks, but this is when experience comes in handy. And with a base price of ₹1.75 crore, you can expect him to find some buyers.
Anderson, however, is not the only name to take you by surprise. For the first time in the history of the IPL, an Italian player has registered for the auction. His name is Thomas Draca, a right-arm seamer who has been the most outstanding pacer in European cricket, who also performed well in the Global T20 tournament in Canada.
The Most Notable Absentees in IPL 2025
England's Test skipper Ben Stokes will not be available for the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League, as he will utilise this time for recovery and prepare for the English summer. Former Indian cricketer Wriddhiman Saha will also be among the absentees as he announced his retirement from all formats of cricket last month.
