Sun Nov 24 22:43:18 UTC 2024: ## Delhi Capitals and Kolkata Knight Riders Dominate Day 1 of IPL 2025 Auction

**Jeddah, Saudi Arabia** – The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 mega auction kicked off in Jeddah with a bang, with defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Delhi Capitals (DC) making significant splashes on Day 1. Both teams, having released their respective captains – Shreyas Iyer (KKR) and Rishabh Pant (DC) – entered the auction with a focus on securing a new wicketkeeper and captain.

DC, starting with a purse of ₹73 crore and two Right-to-Match (RTM) cards, made strategic acquisitions, including KL Rahul (₹14 crore), Mitchell Starc (₹11.75 crore), and several other key players. They also exercised their RTM card on Fraser-McGurk (₹9 crore). Their spending spree included the acquisition of Harry Brook (₹6.25 crore), T Natarajan (₹10.75 crore), and several uncapped players.

KKR, with a starting purse of ₹51 crore and no RTM cards, retained six players before the auction. Their spending focused on bolstering their batting and bowling lineups with the acquisitions of Venkatesh Iyer (₹23.75 crore), Quinton de Kock (₹3.6 crore), Anrich Nortje (₹6.5 crore), and Rahmanullah Gurbaz (₹2 crore). They also added several uncapped talents.

The auction saw a fierce bidding war for several top players. Shreyas Iyer was sold to Punjab Kings for a record ₹26.75 crore, while Rishabh Pant went to Lucknow Super Giants for ₹27 crore.

By the end of Day 1, DC had ₹13.80 crore remaining in their purse, while KKR had ₹10.05 crore left. Several high-profile players remained unsold, including Devdutt Padikkal, David Warner, and Jonny Bairstow.

The auction continues on Day 2, with both DC and KKR expected to further shape their squads for the upcoming season. The teams’ new coaching setups also add intrigue, with Hemang Badani taking the reins at DC and Dwayne Bravo replacing Gautam Gambhir as KKR’s mentor.

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