The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 Mega Auction was exciting, with franchises spending big money to improve their squads for the forthcoming season.
Prior to the auction, the teams negotiated numerous regulations with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Some voiced dismay with the mega-auction, pointing out that they would lose players they had scouted and cultivated. Since the announcement of the list of 574 players for the mega auction, the two marquee sets of players have dominated the attention in the run-up to the auction. As anticipated, some top teams spent a lot of money on well-known figures who chose to enter the auction after having a good run with their previous franchises. A few of them experienced unpleasant breakups.
Quite some news from two days in Jeddah as the 10 teams spent a record INR 639.15 crore for 182 players. The three most expensive buys were Rishabh Pant (INR 27 crore, Lucknow Super Giants), Shreyas Iyer (INR 26.75 crore, Punjab Kings), and Venkatesh Iyer (INR 23.75 crore, Kolkata Knight Riders).
#TATAIPLAuction ✅
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) November 26, 2024
Here are the Top 🔟 Buys after the 2⃣-day Auction Extravaganza 🔽#TATAIPL pic.twitter.com/rOBAtJE0iZ
Notably, 13-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi ended up being the youngest player picked at the IPL auction, with Rajasthan Royals (RR) paying INR 1.10 crore. Meanwhile, Yuzvendra Chahal (INR 18 crore, PBKS) also became the nation’s most expensive spinner.
Indian pacers also seized the spotlight, with Bhuvneshwar Kumar (Royal Challengers Bengaluru, INR 10.75 crore), Akash Deep (Lucknow Super Giants, INR 8 crore), Deepak Chahar (MI, INR 9.25 crore), Mukesh Kumar (Delhi Capitals, INR 8 crore), and Tushar Deshpande (Rajasthan Royals, INR 6.50 crore) were additionally paid significant rates.
Presenting the squads of all the 🔟 teams at the end of #TATAIPLAuction 🔥🔥
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) November 25, 2024
We can't wait for #TATAIPL 2025 to begin 🥳 pic.twitter.com/kQhm65UblK
SportsMint’s Ratings for All 10 Teams:
| FRANCHISES | SQUAD RATING (OUT OF 10) |
| Chennai Super Kings | 7.5 |
| Royal Challengers Bengaluru | 8 |
| Lucknow Super Giants | 8.5 |
| Gujarat Titans | 9.5 |
| Kolkata Knight Riders | 9 |
| Mumbai Indians | 8.5 |
| Sunrisers Hyderabad | 8 |
| Delhi Capitals | 8.5 |
| Punjab Kings | 9 |
| Rajasthan Royals | 7 |
IPL Auction: The Biggest Movers and Shakers
MI and KKR appeared to be poised at the auction and have enlisted tough lineups capable of competing for the crown next year. Both teams did not try to buy marquee players; instead, they waited for the perfect ones. The defending champs relied heavily on players from previous years, while Mumbai sought to strengthen their bowling unit.
Punjab Kings, who aren’t renowned for their auction acumen, were guided admirably by newly recruited coach Ricky Ponting.
RCB received criticism for losing out on huge purchases, but it appears that this was a deliberate decision, as they resisted the desire to spend heavily on Day 1. Under Andy Flower, RCB made several wise purchases over the two-day auction. The Will Jacks situation seemed like a pre-discussed trade with MI, but fans on social media weren’t pleased.
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) handled their business conventionally, but LSG appear weak on paper despite signing Rishabh Pant for a record-breaking fee.
Once again, Gujarat Titans (GT) made excellent purchases, amassing a roster capable of propelling them back into the top four places.
While Rajasthan will have to rely on specific players to perform well, Delhi and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) have managed to recruit some excellent players, which will undoubtedly improve their chances of qualifying for the playoffs.