Right from its first season, the Indian Premier League has been making the headlines for its sheer entertainment factor. Explosive matches, unexpected twists and nail-biting finishes are guaranteed almost every match in the season. Teams this year were allowed to retain as many as 6 players. All the remaining players would take part in the Mega Auction, to determine their new outfit.
As the new IPL season is just around the corner, all teams took part in the mega auction to improve their squads. The IPL 2025 auction was held in Saudi Arabia and it had a lot of auction battles and unexpected turns. This year’s auction also broke the record for the most expensive player in history, crossing the previous record of 2.8 M held by Mitchell Starc. Let’s delve into the biggest buys, surprising picks, and the strategies employed by each team during this year’s auction.
Biggest Buys of the Auction
Rishabh Pant to Lucknow Super Giants : Pant became the most expensive player in IPL auction history, as LSG acquired his services for a whooping 3.1 million dollars. His batting prowess in the top order and his leadership qualities make him a valuable player and skipper for LSG.
Shreyas Iyer to Punjab Kings : Iyer’s signing was a significant move for PBKS, aiming to strengthen their middle order along with gaining a captain. PBKS spent a massive 3.08 million dollars for Shreyas. His consistent performance for India and in the previous IPL seasons made him a hot commodity in the auction.
Venkatesh Iyer to Kolkata Knight Riders : KKR brought back their star all-rounder, for 2.7 million dollars. This reflects their confidence in his abilities to contribute both with both the bat and ball. His previous performances have been instrumental in KKR’s successes.
Mitchell Starc to Delhi Capitals : DC made a bold move by acquiring Starc, for 2.5 million dollars. DC ensured they have a world-class pacer leading their attack. His ability to deliver in crunch situations makes him a key player.
Jos Buttler to Gujarat Titans : GT secured Warner for 1.8 million dollars, to add experience and firepower to their top order. His aggressive batting style and leadership experience will be crucial for their campaign.
Below is a list of the top signings for each team in the auction:
| Team | Total Spent | Top Signings |
| Chennai Super Kings | $6.3 M | Noor Ahmed ($1.15M)Ravichandran Ashwin ($1.12M) |
| Mumbai Indians | $5.1 M | Trent Boult ($1.4M)Deepak Chahar ($1M) |
| Rajasthan Royals | $5.3 M | Jofra Archer ($1.4M)Tushar Deshpande ($0.7M) |
| Gujarat Titans | $6.5 M | Jos Buttler ($1.8M)Mohammed Siraj ($1.4M)Kagiso Rabada ($1.2M) |
| Punjab Kings | $12.6 M | Shreyas Iyer ($3.08M)Arshdeep Singh ($2M, retained using RTM)Yuzvendra Chahal ($2M) |
| Lucknow Super Giants | $7.9 M | Rishabh Pant ($3.1M)Avesh Khan ($1.1M)David Miller ($0.8M) |
| Royal Challengers Bangalore | $9.4 M | Josh Hazlewood ($1.4M)Phil Salt ($1.3M) |
| Sunrisers Hyderabad | $7.1 M | Ishan Kishan ($1.3M)Mohammed Shami ($1.15M)Harshal Patel ($0.9M) |
| Kolkata Knight Riders | $5.8 M | Venkatesh Iyer ($2.7M)Anrich Nortje ($0.7M)Quinton de Kock ($0.4M) |
| Delhi Capitals | $8.3 M | KL Rahul ($1.6M)Mitchell Starc ($2.5M)T. Natarajan (1.2M) |
Surprising Picks
Vaibhav Suryavanshi to Rajasthan Royals : For the first time in IPL history, 13-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi became the youngest cricketer ever selected in an IPL auction. RR followed his performances at the Ranji Trophy for Bihar and invested 115,00 dollars in his potential.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Royal Challengers Bengaluru: RCB re-signed their former bowler, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, for 1.2 million dollars. The bidding war for him was intense, with MI and LSG also showing interest.
Anshul Kamboj to Chennai Super Kings: Chennai Super Kings upheld their tradition of talent scouting by acquiring Anshul Kamboj for 391,000 dollars. Known for his consistent performances in domestic cricket, the all-rounder has impressed with his ability to thrive under pressure.
Harshal Patel to Sunrisers Hyderabad: The young bowler was a surprise pick for SRH, as many expected him to go unsold. SRH spent 923,000 dollars on him, owing to his domestic performances.
Avesh Khan to Lucknow Super Giants: LSG’s investment in Avesh Khan raised eyebrows, with his irregular form in recent seasons. However, his experience and ability to disrupt batting lineups could prove valuable. LSG shelled out $1.1M dollars for his services.
Team Strategies
Focusing on Balance in the squad – RCB tried to improve its bowling and give more depth to its batting lineup. Phil Salt and Jitesh Sharma were signed to strengthen the top-order, while Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar look to provide attacking pace. As another option, PBKS strongly preferred a dominant plan, mostly choosing to sign several important players to make the team greatly stronger. To make sure experience and youth were balanced well, Shreyas, Arshdeep and Chahal were wanted. SRH sought more experience; greater power was desired for batting as well as bowling. Shami and Harshal make the fast bowling stronger and Ishan Kishan adds steadiness to the top of the lineup.
Focus on Batting Order – LSG made a significant investment in Rishabh Pant. They also brought in David Miller, indicating their plan to build the team with a strong batting line-up. They have focused on assembling a mix of explosive batters and reliable finishers. Defending champions KKR also focused on bringing back key players and adding batters to their squad. With de Kock, they boost their wicketkeeping options and add firepower at the top of the order. GT was intent on building a strong batting and acquired an accomplished leader with Buttler. Their strategy completely concentrated on any players who are able to win games.
Focus on Bowling Unit – 5 time champions CSK focused on strengthening their bowling lineup with the acquisition of Ashwin and Noor Ahmed. They have prioritized a spin-heavy attack while adding Convoy for experience and stability. DC targeted marquee players to strengthen their squad with proven match-winners. The combination of KL Rahul’s steady batting along with Natarajan and Starc’s pace attack provides a strong balance.
Other Strategies – MI adopted an economical strategy, focusing on smart buys within their budget constraints. Boult’s addition ensures they maintain a deadly pace attack while keeping the core squad intact. RR on the other hand invested in young talent and strengthened their bowling department with Jofra Archer. RR’s strategy focuses on developing future stars while maintaining a competitive balance.
Final Thoughts
The IPL 2025 season already is looking to be a power-packed edition for fans worldwide. The Mega Auction had everything – record-breaking deals, strategic moves and of course, a lot of surprises. While teams like PBKS and RCB opted for big-name players, other teams like MI and RR focused on budget-friendly but impactful signings. While the retained players already play an important role in the team’s formation, this auction provided the teams with a chance to strengthen their squads.
With players like Raina returning after a long break from the league and young prospects like Suryavanshi, the balance of experienced players along with many young prospects would make the upcoming season very exciting. As the teams assemble their starting line-ups, it will be interesting to see how each team’s strategies play out this season. Stay updated with Sofascore for all the latest alerts and information of this year’s IPL.