In a groundbreaking development, the Indian Premier League (IPL) mega auction for the upcoming season is set to take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. As per sources in the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the auction is tentatively scheduled for November 24 and 25, with the dates yet to be officially confirmed.
The IPL auctions will be held in Riyadh and it has been notified to the franchises. The likely dates are November 24 and 25,” a BCCI official disclosed to PTI under conditions of anonymity.
This year’s auction promises an intense bidding battle as several high-profile players, including Indian stars Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, and Arshdeep Singh, are set to go under the hammer. All ten franchises will collectively have a budget of around Rs 641.5 crore to secure players for the 204 available slots, including 70 for overseas talents. Franchise retentions, which were announced last Thursday, have seen a total of 46 players retained across teams, with an aggregate spending of Rs 558.5 crore.
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Among the retained players, South Africa’s explosive wicketkeeper-batsman Heinrich Klaasen emerged as the most valuable, retained by Sunrisers Hyderabad for Rs 23 crore. The franchise, which reached the finals last season, opted to retain a core of five players.
Virat Kohli, another high-profile retention, will continue with Royal Challengers Bangalore at Rs 21 crore, making him the most expensive retained Indian player. Sources suggest Kohli may lead the franchise in the upcoming season, though an official announcement is awaited.
In a surprising move, franchises released three former captains — Pant, Rahul, and Iyer. Pant’s release, in particular, is anticipated to trigger a major bidding war as teams vie for the young star’s services.
Punjab Kings will enter the auction with the highest purse value, estimated at nearly Rs 110 crore. The team retained two uncapped players, Shashank Singh and Prabhsimran Singh, at a combined cost of Rs 9.5 crore.
With the stage set for a high-stakes auction in Riyadh, cricket enthusiasts and franchise owners alike are gearing up for what promises to be an electrifying lead-up to IPL 2025.