IPL 2025 Auction Live Updates: Shreyas Iyer breaks Mitchell Starc ‘most expensive IPL buy’ record at ₹26.75 crore; Arshdeep Singh heads back to Punjab for ₹18 crore

Shreyas Iyer goes to Punjab Kings for a record ₹26.75 crore

Shreyas Iyer is now the most expensive player in the history of IPL.

David Warner, the Australian opener, is entering the IPL auction at 38, still brimming with power and determination. A former IPL-winning captain and one of the league’s most consistent performers, Warner has racked up 6565 runs in the tournament at an average of 40.52. Teams in need of an aggressive top-order batter will certainly be eyeing the Australian’s experience and knack for explosive starts.

Afghanistan’s Mohammad Nabi, another 40-year-old all-rounder, is ready for another stint in the IPL. Known for his sharp off-spin and powerful batting in the lower order, Nabi has been a key figure in T20 leagues around the world. His IPL record includes 215 runs and 15 wickets, and his experience in tight situations makes him a valuable player for any franchise.

Former South Africa captain Faf du Plessis, at 40, enters the auction pool once again, bringing with him a reputation for consistency and leadership. Known for his solid batting performances and tactical acumen, Du Plessis has proven to be a valuable asset in the IPL, having scored 4571 runs. Despite his age, his aggressive style and sharp fitness could make him a top contender for teams looking to shore up their top order.

Ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) mega auction, India batter Mayank Agarawal expressed desire to play for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) once again, a franchise with which he started off his career in the cash-rich league.

The IPL mega auction is taking place in Jeddah from Sunday to Monday. Mayank, who represented Sunrisers Hyderabad last season, was released by the franchise ahead of the auction.

Speaking to ANI about the auction, Mayank said, “I think I am very excited. Having played IPL for so many years, I have the experience of playing for so many teams and having seen so many playing styles. That is something I would love to bring out in coming seasons.” - ANI

Delhi Capitals newly-appointed head coach Hemang Badani believes in working silently in the background, and said the approach can yield rich dividends for the team in the upcoming IPL. “I’ve earned my stripes to be here and I really feel that there will be good decisions made and good things that could happen for DC in the years to come,” Badani said ahead of the IPL 2025 player auction. - ANI

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 mega auction promises to deliver plenty of surprises and record-breaking moments, with an unprecedented number of Indian and overseas superstars in contention. All ten franchises are gearing up to build their squads from scratch.

A total of 574 players have been shortlisted from an initial pool of 1,574 names. These players will go under the hammer from November 24-25 in Jeddah. The list includes 208 overseas players, 12 uncapped overseas talents, and 318 uncapped Indian players, according to Wisden. - ANI

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 Mega Auction is poised to be an exhilarating event, featuring numerous seasoned players vying for a spot in the tournament.

These cricketing legends, each with over a decade of experience, are eager to demonstrate that they still have much to contribute to the shortest format of the game.

James Anderson, widely regarded as one of the greatest fast bowlers in cricket history, is looking to make a mark in the IPL at 42. Despite his age, the English seamer remains in top shape, continuing to impress with his skill and fitness in longer formats. Anderson has 18 wickets from 19 T20Is and an economy rate of 7.85, and his wealth of experience could make him an attractive option for franchises seeking a senior bowler to lead their attack.

The bids on Rishabh Pant could well soar like his audacious no-look six at Perth as he seems poised to become the highest paid player among the 577 who will go under the hammer at the two-day IPL mega auction starting here on Sunday.

There will be ₹641.5 crores cumulatively in the kitty of 10 teams with 204 possible slots to be filled but one can be rest assured that all eyes will be trained on Pant’s name when it comes up.

Punjab Kings, with ₹110.50 crore in their coffers, are ready to outbid the other franchises.

If Pant would be the cynosure of this auction, Arshdeep Singh, with a staggering 96 T20 International wickets in three seasons, can easily have multiple teams going for him.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) auctions will be held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on Sunday and Monday and there could be many surprises as franchises look to build their teams for the upcoming season.

Ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, uncapped Indian player Swastik Chikara opened up and said that he wanted the Lucknow Super Giant (LSG) franchise to bid for him in the upcoming mega auction which is scheduled to take place in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on Sunday and Monday.

Next year’s Indian Premier League will be held from March 14 to May 25, the BCCI has told the IPL franchises while also setting aside similar widows for the event’s 2026 and 2027 editions in an uncharacteristically elaborate plan.

The BCCI has also decided to include injury-prone England pacer Jofra Archer, Indian-born American pacer Saurabh Netravalkar and uncapped Mumbai-wicketkeeper-batter Hardik Tamore in the two-day mega players’ auction to be held in Jeddah from Sunday.

In its communication to the franchises, the Board has stated that the dates for the next three seasons are being shared at once to “assist the franchises in planning for the players’ auction.” The 2026 edition of the tournament will start on March 15 and the grand finale has been scheduled for May 31.

Presence of a few frontline stars like Hardik Pandya, Mohammed Shami and its co-existence with the IPL mega auction has given the latest edition of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, beginning across venues from Saturday, a meaty context.

England captain Jos Buttler shared his thoughts on the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) mega auction and the atmosphere at the Abu Dhabi T10 tournament.

Sri Lankan fast bowler Matheesha Pathirana, currently playing in the Abu Dhabi T10, expressed his excitement and happiness at being retained for a whopping Rs 13 crore by his franchise, Chennai Super Kings (CSK), for the upcoming IPL 2025.

Former Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) skipper Faf du Plessis on Friday shared his thoughts on the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 mega-auction, admitting he has no idea what to expect.

Saudi Arabia hosts this year’s Indian Premier League player auction in a partnership between a money-spinning cricket tournament expanding its global reach and a kingdom using sports to improve its image, Reuters reports.

De facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has backed extravagant sports investments -- set to culminate in Saudi Arabia hosting the football World Cup in 2034 -- to diversify its oil-rich economy.

Critics point to Saudi Arabia’s human rights record and the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in 2018, accusing the kingdom of “sportswashing”.

The two-day auction beginning Sunday in Jeddah is the first cricketing event of this stature to be hosted in Saudi Arabia, a country with an under-served fanbase for the sport among millions of South Asian migrant workers.

Harshit Rana’s meteoric rise might have come as a surprise to many but not his coach in his formative years, NS Negi, who has seen the strapping youngster mature into a pacer with the “potential to become a multi-format bowler for India”.

Starting as a net bowler with Gujarat Titans in 2022, Harshit played a key role in guiding Kolkata Knight Riders to IPL glory in 2024, and announced his arrival on the international stage with a dream debut in the opening Border-Gavaskar Test at Perth, where he returned figures of 48 for 3 in the first innings.

Negi, Harshit’s coach from his U19 days in Delhi, couldn’t hide his joy on seeing his ward’s exploits on a bouncy and seaming Perth pitch.

Actor and Punjab Kings co-owner Preity Zinta has landed in Jeddah and she is super excited about the Indian Premier League (IPL) mega auction, scheduled to be held in Saudi Arabia on November 24 and November 25.

Taking to Instagram, Preity shared a video showcasing the scenic location in Jeddah. In the caption, she expressed her excitement about the auction and also invited recommendations for their potential auction strategy.

Harshit Rana was in a difficult mind-space before making his India debut at Perth against Australia, but survived that unsure phase after head coach Gautam Gambhir and his parents advised him to remain patient and be mentally prepared for the cherished moment.

Rana didn’t disappoint Gambhir either as the young pacer grabbed three wickets, supporting skipper Jasprit Bumrah to bundle out Australia for 104 in their first innings.

“It was difficult for me to wait (for my debut), but Gauti bhai was saying to keep my patience and do well whenever my chance comes. He always gives confidence. He was telling me to keep everything aside and think that you are representing the whole country,” Rana said during his post-day press meet here on Saturday.

The Indian Golf Union (IGU) is set to host its first-ever level 3 Tournament Administrators and Referees Seminar (TARS) in April next year, marking a major milestone for the sport in the country.

“We are all very excited. TARS has never happened and it is going to happen for the first time. We have got the letter saying it will happen in India,” President Brijinder Singh said on Saturday.

“For TARS, normally people would need to travel to St. Andrews. It is very expensive, Rs 2-3 lakh... maybe more. Mr. Shyam Sundar, who is our TARS chairman, kept following up and persuading. R&A has the faith that India can host it. But we are yet to finalise the venue.

“We will invite people from around the neighboring places, like Sri Lanka, Nepal, Malaysia, Thailand. We will try to bring them here. That will make India the hub of good golf practices. And doing TARS over here is a feather in our cap, one of our biggest achievements,” said Brijinder.

Tilak Varma became the first batter ever to notch three successive hundreds in T20s, while Shreyas Iyer underlined his credentials with a smooth century ahead of the IPL mega auction, as the two Indian batters hogged the limelight in the first round of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy on Saturday.

In a Group A match, Tilak, who made hundreds recently against South Africa at Centurion and Johannesburg, added one more three-figure knock to the list against Meghalaya in Rajkot.

The left-hander made 151 off just 67 balls with 14 fours and 10 sixes to guide Hyderabad to 248 for four in 20 overs.

The “X-factor” that Rishabh Pant offers will trigger a bidding war for him in Sunday’s IPL mega auction in Jeddah and the wicketkeeper batter could smash the ₹25 crore barrier, reckoned former India batter Suresh Raina.

Kolkata Knight Riders shelled out ₹24.75 crore to acquire the services of Australian pacer Mitchell Starc ahead of IPL 2024, the highest in the tournament’s history so far, and Raina felt it could be broken this time. “More than his batting and keeping, he’s a great character to have in the team when he is a captain. Any owner or coach would not like to miss his X-factor,” Raina, IPL Expert, JioStar, told PTI.

So will Pant break the ₹25-crore mark? “I think he will go for more than that. Punjab, Delhi, KKR, and RCB have the money. So, when he comes to the auction, expect him to go ₹4-5 crores higher than ₹25 crore,” said Raina, the first player to breach the 5000-run mark in IPL history.

Indian middle-order batter Shreyas Iyer continued his red-hot form in domestic cricket as he smashed a blistering century for Mumbai during their Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy opener against Goa at Hyderabad’s Gymkhana Ground on Saturday.

During the match against Goa, Iyer smashed a fine 130* in just 57 balls, with 11 fours and 10 sixes. His runs came at a strike rate of 228.07. His knock helped Mumbai reach 250/4 in their 20 overs after being put to bat first by Goa. Goa is given a huge task of overtaking this mammoth total in the second innings.

With less than two days to go before the IPL 2025 mega auction in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Delhi Capitals (DC) made it a memorable experience for some of the winners of the ‘Roar Macha in Jeddah’ contest, as star all-rounder Axar Patel made a surprise appearance for the fans during a virtual interaction.The contest winners, selected from thousands of video submissions showcasing their love and support for the Delhi Capitals, will travel to Jeddah to witness the auction LIVE. During the virtual meet, Axar expressed his gratitude to the fans for their unwavering support, not just for the Delhi Capitals but also for Indian cricket.“You fans are our real backbone. Everywhere we go, it feels like we are in India. Thank you so much for supporting us. Congratulations to all the contest winners. Keep supporting us because ‘Roar Tabhi Toh Machega’,” Axar said while interacting with the fans.