South African captain Aiden Markram emphasized the importance of his team’s upcoming series against India, despite the proximity of the IPL 2025 mega-auction. With a number of Proteas players set to enter the auction pool, the stakes are high, but Markram made it clear that the team’s focus remains squarely on the series and not the upcoming bidding process.
As South Africa prepares for the four-match T20 series against India starting on November 8 in Durban, Markram acknowledged that performing well in this series could have positive effects for players ahead of the auction, which will be held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on November 24-25. However, he stressed that this was not the team’s main motivation.
“The IPL auction is not the focus for us right now,” Markram said during a press conference. “But as we all know, a good performance can have positive outcomes for players, especially in a big tournament like the IPL.”
Of the 16 players in the South African squad, 12—including Markram, David Miller, Gerald Coetzee, and Marco Jansen—will be available in the auction pool. Only Heinrich Klaasen and Tristan Stubbs have been retained by their franchises, and players like Mihlali Mpongwana and Andile Simelane are not in the auction pool. Markram himself, who was part of Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the previous season, will likely attract interest from other IPL franchises.
Despite the heightened awareness of the auction’s potential impact, Markram made it clear that the team’s focus remains on winning the series against India, and that players will not be motivated solely by the auction. “It’s not the motivation to perform well, but it can be a nice bonus if players put their hands up and do well,” he added.
The Proteas’ skipper is hopeful that the team can build momentum heading into a busy home summer, and he is excited about the opportunity to showcase their skills on the international stage, with the added benefit of potentially securing lucrative IPL deals.
Markram’s statement was echoed by Klaasen, the highest-earning South African in IPL history, who has a retention fee of INR 23 crore from SRH. Other South African players, such as Jansen and Miller, are also expected to attract attention from IPL franchises due to their proven records in the T20 format.
As the series progresses, the South African squad will be keen to make an impact, not only to secure victories against India but also to position themselves for lucrative contracts ahead of the IPL auction.
