The much-anticipated IPL 2025 mega auction is set to take place on November 24 and 25 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. With top players like Rishabh Pant, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Jos Buttler, and Mitchell Starc up for grabs, this auction will play a pivotal role in determining the future of the ten IPL franchises for the next three years.
Auction Purse Dynamics Post Retentions
Ahead of the auction, each team’s purse was initially set at INR 120 crore. However, post the retention process, the remaining amounts vary significantly, giving some teams a notable advantage. Franchises were allowed to retain up to six players, though those opting to do so forfeited the right-to-match (RTM) cards.
The Punjab Kings (PBKS) lead the pack with an auction purse of INR 110.5 crore, while the Rajasthan Royals (RR) are left with just INR 41 crore, the lowest among all franchises.
Updated Auction Purse for IPL 2025
Punjab Kings (PBKS): INR 110.5 crore
Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB): INR 83 crore
Delhi Capitals (DC): INR 73 crore
Gujarat Titans (GT): INR 69 crore
Lucknow Super Giants (LSG): INR 69 crore
Chennai Super Kings (CSK): INR 55 crore
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR): INR 51 crore
Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH): INR 45 crore
Mumbai Indians (MI): INR 45 crore
Rajasthan Royals (RR): INR 41 crore
Salary Cap Overview
The total salary cap for franchises includes the auction purse, incremental performance pay, and match fees. Compared to INR 110 crore in 2024, the cap for 2025 has increased to INR 146 crore and is set to rise further to INR 151 crore in 2026 and INR 157 crore in 2027.
Player Retentions and Key Names
All ten franchises revealed their retained players ahead of the auction. While some teams retained their star players, others made conservative choices to save funds for the auction.
Complete List of Retained Players by Team
- Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR):
Rinku Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, Harshit Rana, Ramandeep Singh
- Mumbai Indians (MI):
Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Rohit Sharma, Tilak Varma
- Chennai Super Kings (CSK):
Ruturaj Gaikwad, Matheesha Pathirana, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni
- Rajasthan Royals (RR):
Sanju Samson, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel, Shimron Hetmyer, Sandeep Sharma
- Delhi Capitals (DC):
Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Tristan Stubbs, Abhishek Porel
- Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB):
Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar, Yash Dayal
- Lucknow Super Giants (LSG):
Nicholas Pooran, Ravi Bishnoi, Mayank Yadav, Mohsin Khan, Ayush Badoni
- Punjab Kings (PBKS):
Shashank Singh, Prabhsimran Singh
- Gujarat Titans (GT):
Rashid Khan, Shubman Gill, Sai Sudharsan, Rahul Tewatia, Shahrukh Khan
- Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH):
Pat Cummins, Abhishek Sharma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Heinrich Klaasen, Travis Head
Strategic Implications for Franchises
Teams like PBKS, with a significant auction purse, will look to make bold moves, potentially targeting marquee players. Conversely, teams like RR, MI, and CSK, with smaller purses, may need to be more strategic, filling key gaps without overspending.
As the auction unfolds in Jeddah, all eyes will be on how each franchise utilizes its funds to build competitive squads for the upcoming IPL seasons.
