The 2025 IPL auction is a mega event that cricket enthusiasts eagerly await. The auction brings fresh talent and the possibility of exciting team combinations. This year’s auction is set to take place on November 24 and 25 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, marking only the second time the IPL auction has moved overseas.
Details of the IPL 2025 Auction
Dates and Location
The auction will span two days, November 24 and 25, 2025, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. This decision to host it overseas, especially in the Middle East, brings an international spotlight on the IPL and caters to the growing cricket fanbase in the region.
While the specific start times are yet to be confirmed, mega auctions usually begin mid-morning and continue late into the evening, with both days fully packed with player auctions.
What is a Mega Auction, and Why is It Important?
A mega auction means a complete reset. Unlike the annual mini auctions, where teams can retain most of their players, a mega auction limits the number of retainable players, forcing teams to undergo major restructuring.
Every three years, IPL franchises are allowed to retain a small number of players, up to six in 2025, after which they must rebuild from a broader player pool. This system keeps the tournament competitive, ensuring no team can dominate through long-term player retention.
Retentions and the Right-to-Match (RTM) Option
The Right-to-Match option lets franchises retain certain players by matching the highest bid for them. If a team’s former player receives a high bid from a different franchise, the original team can exercise its RTM to buy them back.
Teams can retain a maximum of six players before the auction. Of these, only five can be capped players, with the remaining two being uncapped. Not every team has the same number of RTM options, depending on their retention strategies.
The 2025 Auction Process: Step-by-Step
Top Players Expected at the 2025 Auction
Big Indian names, including Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, and Yuzvendra Chahal, are expected to attract high bids. Each of these players has shown consistent performance and adds depth to any team they join.
Global cricket stars like David Warner, Mitchell Starc, and Glenn Maxwell are also set to appear in the auction. These players bring international experience, making them valuable assets for any IPL team.
The size of each franchise’s squad is a maximum of 25 (minimum size is 18) and there are ten teams – so a maximum of 250 players in total. Forty-six players have already been retained by the teams, leaving a maximum of 204 slots to fill during the IPL 2025 auction. Each squad can have a maximum of eight overseas players so there are 70 slots for overseas players at the auction.
- CSK: 20 slots (7 overseas)
- RCB: 22 slots (8 overseas)
- SRH: 20 slots (5 overseas)
- MI: 20 slots (8 overseas)
- DC: 21 slots (7 overseas)
- RR: 19 slots (7 overseas)
- PBKS: 23 slots (8 overseas)
- KKR: 19 slots (6 overseas)
- GT: 20 slots (7 overseas)
- LSG: 20 slots (7 overseas)
Mumbai Indians
Players retained: Jasprit Bumrah (INR 18 crore), Suryakumar Yadav (INR 16.35 crore), Hardik Pandya (INR 16.35 crore), Rohit Sharma (INR 16.30 crore), Tilak Varma (INR 8 crore)
Right-to-match (RTM) options at auction: 1
Players eligible for RTM: One uncapped player
Sunrisers Hyderabad
Players retained: Heinrich Klaasen (INR 23 crore), Pat Cummins (INR 18 crore), Abhishek Sharma (INR 14 crore), Travis Head (INR 14 crore), Nitish Kumar Reddy (INR 6 crore)
Right-to-match (RTM) options at auction: 1
Players eligible for RTM: One uncapped player
Chennai Super Kings
Players retained: Ruturaj Gaikwad (INR 18 crore), Ravindra Jadeja (INR 18 crore), Matheesha Pathirana (INR 13 crore), Shivam Dube (INR 12 crore), MS Dhoni (INR 4 crore)
Right-to-match (RTM) options at auction: 1
Players eligible for RTM: One capped or uncapped player
Royal Challengers Bengaluru
Players retained: Virat Kohli (INR 21 crore), Rajat Patidar (INR 11 crore), Yash Dayal (INR 5 crore)
Right-to-match (RTM) options at auction: 3
Players eligible for RTM: One uncapped player and two capped players, or three capped players
Delhi Capitals
Players retained: Axar Patel (INR 16.50 crore), Kuldeep Yadav (INR 13.25 crore), Tristan Stubbs (INR 10 crore), Abishek Porel (INR 4 crore)
Right-to-match (RTM) options at auction: 2
Players eligible for RTM: One uncapped player and one capped player, or two capped players
Kolkata Knight Riders
Players retained: Rinku Singh (INR 13 crore), Varun Chakravarthy (INR 12 crore), Sunil Narine (INR 12 crore), Andre Russell (INR 12 crore), Harshit Rana (INR 4 crore), Ramandeep Singh (INR 4 crore)
Right-to-match (RTM) options at auction: None
Players eligible for RTM: None
Rajasthan Royals
Players retained: Sanju Samson (INR 18 crore), Yashasvi Jaiswal (INR 18 crore), Riyan Parag (INR 14 crore), Dhruv Jurel (INR 14 crore), Shimron Hetmyer (INR 11 crore), Sandeep Sharma (INR 4 crore)
Right-to-match (RTM) options at auction: None
Players eligible for RTM: None
Gujarat Titans
Players retained: Rashid Khan (INR 18 crore), Shubman Gill (INR 16.50 crore), Sai Sudharsan (INR 8.50 crore), Rahul Tewatia (INR 4 crore), Shahrukh Khan (INR 4 crore)
Right-to-match (RTM) options at auction: One
Players eligible for RTM: One capped player
Lucknow Super Giants
Players retained: Nicholas Pooran (INR 21 crore), Ravi Bishnoi (INR 11 crore) Mayank Yadav (INR 11 crore), Mohsin Khan (INR 4 crore), Ayush Badoni (INR 4 crore)
Right-to-match (RTM) options at auction: 1
Players eligible for RTM: One capped player
Punjab Kings
Players retained: Shashank Singh (INR 5.5 crore), Prabhsimran Singh (INR 4 crore)
Right-to-match (RTM) options at auction: 4
Players eligible for RTM: Four capped players
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