Records, surprises and notable unsold players

Auction highlights

Rishabh Pant made headlines as the most expensive signing in IPL history, securing a record deal of ₹27 crore with Lucknow Super Giants. Meanwhile, Rajasthan Royals shocked the cricketing world by selecting 13-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi, making him the youngest player ever to be selected for the IPL.

However, the auction was not only about big payouts. Several established stars and young talents surprisingly went unsold, leaving fans and analysts scratching their heads.

Big names that remained unsold

Butters

Despite their illustrious careers, several top 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 the history of the IPL, some big names could not find players.

• 
  Piyush Chawlaone of the top wicket-takers in the league, went unsold at a base price of ₹50 lakh.
• 
  Mustafizur Rahman and Naveen-ul-Haqboth set at INR 2 crore, failed to find buyers.
• Other notable unsold bowlers are also included Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Jason Behrendorffand Umesh Yadav.

Versatile players

Despite their comprehensive utility, the introduction Influencer Rule he seems to have reduced the importance of the all-rounder in team combinations.

• 
  Shardul Thakur (Base Price: INR 2 million)
• 
  Daryl Mitchell (Base Price: INR 2 million)
• 
  Sikandar Raza and Kyle Mayersstars of recent international tournaments, also remained unsold.

Gatekeepers

No offers for England Jonny Bairstow (Base price: INR 2 million) raised eyebrows. Other guards, incl Alex Carey and Josh Philippealso remained unsold.

New topics from the auction

• 
  Youth over experience: The focus on younger players like Vaibhav Suryavanshi hints at teams prioritizing long-term investments over established veterans.
• 
  Specialized roles: With tactical innovations like Influencer Ruleteams seem to prefer players with highly specialized skills over multi-dimensional cricketers.
• 
  Market dynamics: High base prices have deterred bids for many experienced players, signaling the need for veterans to reevaluate their judgment.

Opportunities ahead

All is not lost for unsold players. Franchises can still hire them as replacements during the season in case of injuries or waivers.

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 forward to future opportunities to shine on the big stage.