Cricket

The Indian Premier League (IPL) is gearing up for its 2025 season with a mega auction set to take place on November 24 and 25 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. A total of 574 players, including 366 Indians and 208 overseas players, will go under the hammer. This includes 330 uncapped players, of which 318 are Indian and 12 are from overseas.The auction will feature a total of 204 slots, with 70 available for overseas players. This is the first time since the 2018 auction that the marquee list has been split into two. The marquee list includes players who have a base price of INR 2 crore or more.The IPL auction is a crucial event for teams to build their squads for the upcoming season. Teams will be looking to acquire a mix of experienced and talented players to bolster their chances of success. The auction is also an opportunity for young and uncapped players to showcase their skills and earn a contract with an IPL franchise.The IPL has become one of the most popular cricket leagues in the world, attracting top players from around the globe. The league has also played a significant role in the development of Indian cricket, providing a platform for young players to showcase their talent and earn international recognition.The 2025 IPL season is expected to be another exciting and competitive one, with teams vying for the coveted trophy. The mega auction will play a key role in shaping the teams and determining the outcome of the season.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 mega auction is set to take place on November 24 and 25 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. This marks the second time the auction will be held overseas, following the 2024 auction in Dubai.Every three years, IPL franchises undergo a reset, allowing them to retain a maximum of six players and rebuild their squads at the mega auction. This year, teams have a total purse of INR 120 crore to form their squads, with varying amounts available based on the number of players retained.As many as 1574 players registered for the auction, but the final list is yet to be released. Big names expected to be in the auction include Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, Ishan Kishan, R Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mohammed Shami, Harshal Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Khaleel Ahmed, Deepak Chahar, Venkatesh Iyer, Avesh Khan, Mukesh Kumar, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Prasidh Krishna, T Natarajan, Devdutt Padikkal, Krunal Pandya, Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Siraj, Umesh Yadav, David Warner, Jos Buttler, Mitchell Starc, Glenn Maxwell, Faf du Plessis, Kagiso Rabada, David Miller, Devon Conway, Tim David, Rachin Ravindra, Quinton de Kock, Marcus Stoinis, Sam Curran, Jonny Bairstow, and Liam Livingstone.Teams have a maximum of 25 slots to fill, with a maximum of eight overseas players allowed. 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.The IPL teams were allowed to retain up to six players this time - of which a maximum of five can be capped and a maximum of two can be uncapped. The six could either be retained outright ahead of the auction, or can be bought back using Right-to-Match (RTM) options at the auction, or a combination of both.

Ben Stokes Skips IPL 2025 Mega AuctionEnglish all-rounder Ben Stokes has opted out of the upcoming IPL 2025 mega auction, scheduled for November 24 and 25 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The absence of Stokes, who has been a key player for Rajasthan Royals in recent seasons, is a significant development ahead of the auction.The IPL has released a long list of 1574 registered players, which will be finalized after receiving input from the franchises. The list includes all the marquee Indian players who were not retained by their teams. Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul, and Shreyas Iyer, former captains of Delhi Capitals, Lucknow Super Giants, and Kolkata Knight Riders, respectively, are listed at a base price of INR 2 crore. Other notable players at this price point include R Ashwin and Yuzvendra Chahal, both released by Rajasthan Royals.Mohammed Shami, who has been sidelined since the 2023 ODI World Cup final due to injuries, is also listed at a base price of INR 2 crore after being released by Gujarat Titans. The auction is expected to attract a wide range of players, both domestic and international, as teams look to bolster their squads for the upcoming season.Stokes' decision to skip the auction is likely due to his busy schedule with the England national team. He is expected to play a key role in the upcoming Ashes series against Australia and the 2023 World Cup in India.