IPL 2025 Mega Auction: The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 Mega Auction will take place on November 24 and 25 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. This marks the second consecutive year the event is being held overseas, following the auction in Dubai ahead of the IPL 2024 season.
Record 1,574 Players Register for Auction
A total of 1,574 cricketers, including 1,165 Indian and 409 overseas players, have registered for the auction. The pool features 320 capped players, 1,224 uncapped players, and 30 players from Associate Nations, making it one of the most competitive auctions in IPL history.
Key Player Retentions and Team Budgets
Ahead of the auction, the ten franchises have retained 46 players, spending a cumulative Rs 558.5 crore. Some notable retentions include:
- Mumbai Indians: Jasprit Bumrah (Rs 18 crore), Suryakumar Yadav (Rs 16.35 crore), Hardik Pandya (Rs 16.35 crore), Rohit Sharma (Rs 16.30 crore), Tilak Varma (Rs 8 crore).
- Chennai Super Kings: Ruturaj Gaikwad (Rs 18 crore), Ravindra Jadeja (Rs 18 crore), Matheesha Pathirana (Rs 13 crore), Shivam Dube (Rs 12 crore), MS Dhoni (Rs 4 crore).
- Royal Challengers Bangalore: Virat Kohli (Rs 21 crore), Rajat Patidar (Rs 11 crore), Yash Dayal (Rs 5 crore).
Squad Composition and Auction Rules
Each franchise can have a maximum of 25 players, including up to eight overseas cricketers. Teams are allowed to retain up to six players, consisting of five capped Indian or overseas players and two uncapped Indian players valued at Rs 4 crore each. The money spent on retentions is deducted from the auction purse, capped at Rs 120 crore.
For the upcoming auction, the salary slabs for capped retained players are:
- Player 1: Rs 18 crore
- Player 2: Rs 14 crore
- Player 3: Rs 11 crore
- Player 4: Rs 18 crore
- Player 5: Rs 14 crore
New Rules for Right To Match (RTM) Cards
A significant change has been made to the Right To Match (RTM) card rule. Teams that have retained six players will not have RTM cards, while teams that haven’t retained any players will be given six RTM cards. The revised rule allows the bidding team to make a final counteroffer after an RTM card is used.
For instance, if Royal Challengers Bangalore release Virat Kohli and Mumbai Indians place a bid of Rs 25 crore, RCB can use their RTM card to reclaim him. However, Mumbai Indians can then increase their bid, forcing RCB to match the new offer.
With high stakes and strategic planning involved, the IPL 2025 Mega Auction promises to be an eventful affair, setting the stage for an exciting season ahead.