Auction Highlights

Rishabh Pant made headlines as the highest buy in IPL history, bagging a record breaking INR 27 crore contract with Lucknow Super Giants. Meanwhile, Rajasthan Royals shocked the cricketing world by picking 13-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi, making him the youngest player ever to be drafted in the IPL.

However, the auction was not limited to multiple payment days. Several established stars and younger talents did not sell, leaving fans and critics scratching their heads.

Big Names That Went Unsold

The invaders

Despite their impressive careers, several top players failed to attract prices, indicating a change in the team's position and strategy.

• David Warner (Base price: INR 2 crore)
• Kane Williamson (Base price: INR 2 crore)
• Prithvi Shaw (Base price: INR 75 lakh)
• Mayank Agarwal (Base price: INR 1 crore)

The absence of fees for Warner and Williamson was quite surprising, given their similar performances in the league over the years.

Bowlers

Despite the bowlers dominating IPL history, some big names did not find takers.

• Piyush Chawlaone of the highest wicket-takers in the league, he was not sold for the low price of INR 50 lakh.
• Mustafizur Rahman and Naveen-ul-Haqboth set at INR 2 crore, failed to find buyers.
• Some notable unsold bowlers are included Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Jason Behrendorffand Umesh Yadav.

All around

Despite their surrounding equipment, the introduction of Impact Player Rule seems to have reduced the importance of the people around them by grouping together.

• Shardul Thakur (Base price: INR 2 crore)
• Daryl Mitchell (Base price: INR 2 crore)
• Sikandar Raza and Kyle Mayersstars in recent international games, were also not sold.

The wicketkeepers

Absence of claims for England Jonny Bairstow (Base price: INR 2 crore) has raised eyebrows. Other guards, incl Alex Carey and Josh Philippethey also remained unsold.

Auction Titles

• New Than Experience: The focus on young players like Vaibhav Suryavanshi suggests that teams are prioritizing long-term investments over established veterans.
• Special Features: With good scientific methods like Impact Player Ruleteams seem to favor specialist players over versatile cricketers.
• Market Power: High premium prices have hampered applications for long-standing multiplayers, signaling the need for veterans to reassess their value.

Opportunities First

All is not lost for unsold players. Franchises can still hire them as replacements during the year in case of injuries or layoffs.

The IPL 2025 auction was a spectacle that highlighted the ever-changing nature of the most popular cricket league. While some players were happy, others will be looking forward to their next chance to shine on the big stage.