Notable records, surprises and unsold players

Auction Highlights

Rishabh Pant hit the headlines as the most expensive buy in IPL history, bagging a record INR 27 million contract with Lucknow Super Giants. Meanwhile, Rajasthan Royals shocked the cricketing world by picking 13-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi, making him the youngest player ever to be picked in the IPL.

However, the auction wasn’t just about the massive paydays. Surprisingly, a number of established stars and young talents weren’t sold, leaving fans and analysts scratching their heads.

Big names that didn’t sell

beaters

Despite their illustrious careers, several top-order batsmen failed to attract bids, signaling a change in team dynamics and strategies.

• 
  David Warner (Base Price: INR 2 million)
• 
  Kane Williamson (Base Price: INR 2 million)
• 
  Prithvi Shaw (Base Price: INR 75 lakh)
• 
  Mayank Agarwal (Base Price: INR 1 Crore)

The absence of offers for Warner and Williamson was particularly surprising, given their consistent performances in the league over the years.

Bowlers

Even with the bowlers dominating IPL history, some big names couldn’t find any.

• 
  Piyush Chawlaone of the biggest run-getters in the league, he went unsold at a base price of INR 50 lakh.
• 
  Mustafizur Rahman i Naveen-ul-Haqboth pegged at INR 2 million, found no takers.
• Includes other notable unsold bowlers Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Jason Behrendorffi Umesh Yadav.

versatile

Despite its overall utility, the introduction of the Impact Player Rule seems to have reduced the importance of multi-purposers in team combinations.

• 
  Shardul Thakur (Base Price: INR 2 million)
• 
  Daryl Mitchell (Base Price: INR 2 million)
• 
  Sikandar Raza i Kyle Mayersprotagonists of the last international tournaments, it also remained unsold.

Wicketkeepers

The absence of offers for England Jonny Bairstow (Base Price: INR 2 million) raised eyebrows. Other goalkeepers, included Alex Carey i Josh Philippeit also remained unsold.

Emerging auction topics

• 
  Youth over experience: The focus on younger players like Vaibhav Suryavanshi indicates that teams are prioritizing long-term investments over established veterans.
• 
  Specialized roles: With tactical innovations like the Impact Player Ruleteams seem to prefer players with highly specialized skills to multi-dimensional cricketers.
• 
  Market dynamics: High base prices deterred offers for many experienced players, indicating a need for veterans to reassess their valuation.

Opportunities ahead

All is not lost for unsold players. Franchises can still hire them as in-season replacements in the event of injuries or layoffs.

The IPL 2025 auction was a spectacle that highlighted the ever-evolving nature of cricket’s most popular league. While some players rejoiced, others will be looking ahead to future opportunities to shine on the big stage.