Predicting 5 most expensive Indian buys in IPL 2025 auction ft. Rishabh Pant
The final list for the IPL 2025 auction has been confirmed. Five hundred and seventy-four players have been shortlisted for the two-day mega auction, which will be held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on November 24 and November 25.
From the list of 574 players, 366 are Indian and 208 are overseas, of which three are from associate nations. The auction will feature 318 uncapped Indian players and 12 uncapped overseas players. A total of 204 slots can be filled up by the 10 franchises combined, with 70 slots available for overseas cricketers.
Several big Indian stars will be part of the IPL 2025 auction and are likely to be sold for whopping amounts. As the excitement builds for the grand two-day event in Jeddah, we predict the five most expensive Indian buys in the IPL 2025 mega auction.
#5 Mohammed Shami (₹8-10 crore)
Senior Team India pacer Mohammed Shami recently made a comeback to competitive cricket after being out of action for nearly a year following the 2023 ODI World Cup final. He picked up four wickets in the first innings for Bengal in the Ranji Trophy clash against Madhya Pradesh and has also been among the wickets in the second innings.
The right-arm pacer was a key bowler for the Gujarat Titans (GT) franchise for two seasons - 2022 and 2023 - before missing the 2024 edition due to an ankle injury. Shami claimed 48 wickets in 33 matches across the two IPL editions at an average of 21.04 and an economy rate of 8.01.
The seasoned pacer, with ₹2 crore base price, has a knack of picking up big wickets early and at the death as well. With his ability to make things happen, Shami can prove to be a highly valuable asset for any IPL franchise.
#4 KL Rahul (₹11-13 crore)
KL Rahul captained Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) from IPL 2022 to 2024. The franchise made it to the playoffs in the first two seasons but failed to go all the way. In the 2024 edition, they struggled, finishing seventh in the points table. As a result, Lucknow decided to release Rahul ahead of the 2025 IPL auction.
While his captaincy credentials might be in question, Rahul should be in high demand as a batter at the mega auction. The 32-year-old is among the most consistent performers in the T20 league. In 132 games, he has 4,683 runs, averaging 45.46 at a strike rate of 134.60, with four tons and 37 fifties.
There have been instances of him feeling the pressure in tense situations, but his quality as a batter has never been in doubt. Rahul enters the IPL 2025 auction at the highest base price of ₹2 crore and should be in high demand.
#3 Arshdeep Singh (₹14-16 crore)
The T20 format may be a format tailor-made for batters. However, teams cannot win games without wicket-taking bowlers in the shorter version of the sport as well. And left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh is without a doubt a wicket-taking bowler. Having made his international debut in November 2022, he has already jumped to the second spot among Indian bowlers with the most T20I wickets.
In 60 T20I games, Arshdeep has 95 scalps at an average of 18.10 and an economy rate of 8.32. He is also the second-leading wicket-taker for Punjab Kings (PBKS), with 76 scalps from 65 matches at an average of 27 and an economy rate of 9.02. It was a bit of a surprise that PBKS decided to release him.
The 25-year-old might prove a bit expensive at times, but he can pick up wickets at key moments and has a great temperament under pressure. Arshdeep is also part of the ₹2 crore price bracket for the IPL 2025 auction and should be among the top Indian buys.
#2 Shreyas Iyer (₹17-19 crore)
Shreyas Iyer led Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to victory in the IPL 2024 season and yet was released by the franchise. Of course, it had more to do with the abundance of options KKR had at their disposal about retentions.
As a package, Shreyas offers a lot. He can be a destructive batter on his day and has proven skills as a leader in the IPL. The 29-year-old was in charge when Delhi Capitals (DC) made it to their only final in 2020 and was highly impressive as leader of the pack.
Several franchises that are looking for a leader will target Shreyas at the IPL 2025 auction. He has a more than decent record as a batter as well - 3,127 runs from 115 matches at an average of 32.24 and a strike rate of 127.48. Another big Indian name in the ₹2 crore price bracket, expect a bidding war for Shreyas.
#1 Rishabh Pant (₹20-22 crore)
While many superstar names would be up for grabs at the IPL 2025 auction, there are high chances of keeper-batter Rishabh Pant being the highest Indian buy. The dynamic left-hander made an impressive comeback to competitive cricket during the IPL early this year. Leading Delhi Capitals (DC), he scored 446 runs in 13 matches at an average of 40.55 and a strike rate of 155.40.
The 27-year-old has an excellent overall record in the IPL. In 111 games, he has 3,284 runs to his name at an average of 35.31 and a strike rate of 148.93, with one hundred and 18 fifties to his credit. Behind the wickets as well, he is rather sharp and can make a significant impact with the gloves in hand.
Pant, with a base price of ₹2 crore, could be sold for a whopping sum of more than ₹20 crore at the IPL 2025 auction. With the bat in hand, few players are as dangerous as the southpaw when he is in the mood. Also, like Shreyas, Pant offers the skills of captaincy, although he is still a work in progress in this aspect.