Is Saurabh Netravalkar part of the IPL 2025 auction final list?
Mumbai-born USA cricketer Saurabh Netravalkar made waves at the 2024 T20 World Cup with his impressive left-arm pace bowling. He was among the 1,574 players who registered for the IPL 2025 mega auction. The 33-year-old had registered a base price of ₹30 lakh.
Netravalkar was among the 10 players from the United States of America who had signed up for IPL 2025 auction. His name initially did not feature in the list of players who were shortlisted to go under the hammer at the two-day mega auction in Jeddah in Saudi Arabia on November 24 and November 25. However, he was later added to the auction list along with Jofra Archer and Hardik Tamore.
The final list now features 577 players of which 367 are Indian players and 210 overseas cricketers, including four players from associate nations. Apart from Netravalkar, two other associate nation players are also from USA. Former India U-19 captain Unmukt Chand and pacer Ali Khan have made the cut.
Both Chand and Khan have listed a reserve price of ₹30 lakh for the IPL 2025 mega auction in Jeddah. Meanwhile, Scotland’s seam bowling all-rounder Brandon McMullen is the other associate nation player to be shortlisted. He too has listed a reserve price of ₹30 lakh.
Netravalkar's impressive T20 World Cup campaign
Netravalkar not being shortlisted for the IPL 2025 mega auction is somewhat surprising, considering the limelight on him during the 2024 T20 World Cup. The left-arm pacer had a memorable tournament and picked up six wickets in six matches at an average of 20.83 and a strike rate of 18.8.
The 33-year-old, who is also a member of the technical staff at Oracle, was Player of the Match in USA's historic triumph over Pakistan in a Group stage clash in Dallas. He registered figures of 2-18 from his four overs, picking up the wickets of Mohammad Rizwan and Iftikhar Ahmed. Netravalkar also bowled the Super Over and conceded only 13 runs, with Pakistan needing 19 for victory.
In his overall T20I career, the Mumbai-born pacer has played 36 matches and has claimed 36 scalps at an average of 21.58 and an economy rate of 6.70, with a best of 5-12. He has also picked up 88 wickets in 56 ODI matches at an average of 22.32 and an economy rate of 4.08, with two five-fers, including a best of 5-32.