Records, surprises and outstanding unsold players

Auction Highlights

Rishabh Pant made headlines as the most expensive buy in IPL history, bagging a record contract of Rs 27 crore with the Lucknow Super Giants. Meanwhile, Rajasthan Royals shocked the cricket world by picking 13-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi, making him the youngest player ever selected in the IPL.

However, the auction wasn’t just about big payouts. Surprisingly, several established stars and young talents went unsold, leaving fans and analysts scratching their heads.

Big names that didn’t sell

hitters

Despite their illustrious careers, several top-order batsmen failed to attract offers, indicating a change in the team’s dynamics and strategies.

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

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

bowlers

Even with bowlers dominating IPL history, some big names could not find takers.

• 
  Piyush Chawlaone of the biggest wicket-takers in the league, went unsold at a base price of INR 50 lakh.
• 
  Mustafizur Rahman and Naveen-ul-Haqboth pegged at INR 2 crore, found no buyers.
• Other notable unsold bowlers included Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Jason Behrendorffand Umesh Yadav.

all terrain

Despite its general usefulness, the introduction of Impact Player Rule He seems to have reduced the importance of versatile players in team combinations.

• 
  Shardul Thakur (Base Price: INR 2 Crore)
• 
  Daryl Mitchell (Base Price: INR 2 Crore)
• 
  Sikandar Raza and kyle mayersstars in the last international tournaments, were not sold either.

Goalkeepers

The absence of offers for England Jonny Bairstow (Base price: INR 2 crore) raised his eyebrows. Other guardians, including Alex Carey and jose philipIt was not sold either.

Emerging auction themes

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

Opportunities ahead

All is not lost for unsold players. Franchises can still sign them as in-season replacements in case of injuries or retirements.

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 look forward to future opportunities to shine on the big stage.