Sun Nov 24 17:42:48 UTC 2024: ## Delhi Capitals and Kolkata Knight Riders Dominate IPL 2025 Auction

**Jeddah, Saudi Arabia** – The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 mega auction concluded in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, with the Delhi Capitals (DC) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) making significant splashes. Both teams, having released their respective captains – Rishabh Pant (DC) and Shreyas Iyer (KKR) – entered the auction with substantial purse amounts and a need for new wicketkeepers and leadership.

DC, starting with ₹73 crore, strategically acquired key players like KL Rahul (₹14 crore), Mitchell Starc (₹11.75 crore), T Natarajan (₹10.75 crore), Harry Brook (₹6.25 crore), and exercised their Right to Match (RTM) card for Fraser-McGurk (₹9 crore). They also added Mohit Sharma (₹2.20 crore), Ashutosh Sharma (₹3.8 crore), Sameer Rizvi (₹50 lakh), and Karun Nair (₹50 lakh) to bolster their squad. Abishek Porel was retained as a wicketkeeper.

KKR, defending champions with ₹51 crore, focused on strengthening their batting and bowling line-up. Notable acquisitions included Anrich Nortje (₹6.5 crore), Venkatesh Iyer (₹23.75 crore), Quinton de Kock (₹3.6 crore), and Rahmanullah Gurbaz (₹2 crore). They also secured Mayank Markande (₹30 lakh), Vaibhav Arora (₹1.80 crore), and Angkrish Raghuvanshi (₹3 crore).

The auction saw a fierce bidding war for several marquee players. Shreyas Iyer was ultimately sold to Punjab Kings for a record ₹26.75 crore, while Jos Buttler (GT), Mohammed Siraj (GT), Kagiso Rabada (GT), Rishabh Pant (LSG), David Miller (LSG), and Mohammed Shami (SRH) also commanded high prices.

Both DC and KKR now have significant rebuilding tasks ahead, focusing on team chemistry and strategic squad building as they aim for IPL 2025 glory. The auction reshaped the landscape of the IPL, leaving several franchises with depleted purses and a need to strategize effectively for the upcoming season. The final purse amounts for DC and KKR were ₹21.25 crore and ₹15.15 crore respectively.

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