The IPL 2025 Auction witnessed intense bidding wars, surprising team strategies, and several high-profile moves during the accelerated rounds on the second day at the Abadi Al Johar Arena in Jeddah. Key players like Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Will Jacks, and Deepak Chahar grabbed the spotlight as teams scrambled to strengthen their squads ahead of the upcoming season.
England’s explosive all-rounder Will Jacks emerged as a prized acquisition for Mumbai Indians (MI), who secured his services for ₹5.25 crore. Jacks, who previously represented Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), had entered the auction at a base price of ₹2 crore. Despite his stellar performances, including a century against Gujarat Titans in IPL 2024, RCB surprisingly opted not to use their Right to Match (RTM) card. Punjab Kings (PBKS) put up stiff competition but ultimately lost out to MI.
RCB, on the other hand, roped in Australian big-hitter Tim David for ₹3 crore, adding depth to their middle order. David, who entered the auction at a base price of ₹2 crore, previously played for Mumbai Indians but faced little resistance in his transfer to Bengaluru.
One of the standout moments came when RCB secured veteran pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar for ₹10.75 crore. The bidding war for the experienced bowler escalated dramatically, with MI and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) driving the price beyond ₹10 crore before RCB swooped in at the last moment. Bhuvneshwar, who started his IPL career with RCB in 2009 before stints with Pune Warriors and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), brings a wealth of experience with 181 wickets in 176 matches.
Mumbai Indians further strengthened their bowling arsenal by acquiring Deepak Chahar for ₹9.25 crore. Despite CSK’s determined efforts to reclaim their former bowler, MI outbid their rivals to secure the 32-year-old pacer, who has 77 wickets in 81 IPL matches.
Other notable moves included LSG purchasing Akash Deep for a whopping ₹8 crore after a heated contest with PBKS and CSK. Rajasthan Royals (RR) secured pacer Tushar Deshpande for ₹6.50 crore after an intense bidding war with CSK. Delhi Capitals (DC) used their RTM card to retain Mukesh Kumar for ₹8 crore after PBKS initially won the bid.
Gujarat Titans (GT) added West Indies batter Sherfane Rutherford to their roster for ₹2.60 crore following a tussle with MI, while Tamil Nadu spinner R. Sai Kishore joined the Titans for ₹2 crore using the RTM option against Punjab. Afghan spinner Allah Ghazanfar also joined MI for ₹4.80 crore, solidifying their spin department.
Uncapped players also garnered attention, with CSK spending ₹3.4 crore to sign Haryana all-rounder Anshul Kamboj, whose sensational Ranji Trophy performances made headlines. GT brought back towering pacer Gurnoor Singh Brar for ₹1.3 crore, while RR secured Shubham Dubey for ₹80 lakh. Mukesh Choudhary returned to CSK for ₹30 lakh, and Lucknow picked up Himmat Singh and M Siddharth for ₹30 lakh and ₹75 lakh, respectively.
Punjab Kings made strategic moves by acquiring Afghanistan all-rounder Azmatullah Omarzai for ₹2.4 crore and Lockie Ferguson for ₹2 crore, while SRH secured Uttar Pradesh spinner Zeeshan Ansari for ₹40 lakh.
However, several big names went unsold, including South African stars Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Adil Rashid, England’s Moeen Ali, and promising Indian talents like Prithvi Shaw, Shardul Thakur, Devdutt Padikkal, and Ajinkya Rahane. International players like Finn Allen, Dewald Brevis, and Ben Duckett also found no takers.
(Inputs from IANS)
