Tue Nov 26 14:45:17 UTC 2024: ## IPL 2025 Auction: Pant Shatters Records, While Star Players Go Unsold

**Jeddah, Saudi Arabia:** The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 auction concluded Monday in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, with a record-breaking bid for Rishabh Pant and a surprising number of high-profile players going unsold. Pant became the most expensive player in IPL history, fetching a staggering INR 27 crore from the Lucknow Super Giants. In a remarkable contrast, 13-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi became the youngest player ever drafted, joining the Rajasthan Royals.

However, the auction wasn’t all celebratory fireworks. Several established stars failed to attract any bids, raising eyebrows among fans and analysts. Among the notable unsold batters were David Warner, Kane Williamson, Prithvi Shaw, and Mayank Agarwal. Similarly, several accomplished bowlers, including Piyush Chawla (one of the league’s highest wicket-takers), Mustafizur Rahman, Naveen-ul-Haq, Kartik Tyagi, and Mujeeb ur Rahman, failed to find a team. The trend extended to all-rounders, with Shardul Thakur and Daryl Mitchell surprisingly unsold, potentially reflecting the impact of the IPL’s new Impact Player rule. Even experienced wicket-keeper Jonny Bairstow, a former Sunrisers Hyderabad star, went unpicked.

Despite their current status, the unsold players still have a chance to join an IPL team later in the season if injuries or withdrawals occur. The auction, while showcasing record-breaking deals, also highlighted the unpredictable nature of the IPL and the shifting dynamics of the game.

Read More