With stars like Rishabh Pant and K L Rahul available, IPL team owners are eagerly anticipating the upcoming players’ auction, which is set to break all-time records due to the exceptional Indian talent on offer. Alongside Pant and Rahul, the auction pool will include Shreyas Iyer, Arshdeep Singh, Washington Sundar, Mohammed Siraj, and Mohammed Shami, all of whom have the potential to spark bidding wars. However, Pant is expected to be the main attraction at the two-day event scheduled for the third week of December.
The retention cap of Rs 75 crore for international players, along with Right To Match cards, adds an intriguing layer to the auction. Some teams that have maxed out their retention quotas will need to recruit at least 15 new players at a lower cost. Meanwhile, teams like Punjab Kings (with Rs 110.5 crore) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (with Rs 83 crore) are poised to make significant bids.
This auction marks a unique occasion with three IPL captains—Pant of Delhi Capitals, Shreyas Iyer of Kolkata Knight Riders, and K L Rahul of Lucknow Super Giants—returning to the pool. Pant, in particular, has expressed dissatisfaction with his limited authority under GMR, the co-owners who will manage the team for the next two years. Reports suggest he is also unhappy with head coach Hemang Badani and Team Director Y Venugopal Rao.
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Iyer believes his experience as an IPL-winning captain warrants a salary higher than his current Rs 12.25 crore, a sentiment not echoed by KKR’s management. Meanwhile, Rahul’s T20 approach has not aligned with the vision of the LSG owners.
All three players are likely to secure new deals, but Pant stands a strong chance of becoming the highest-paid player in IPL history if Punjab Kings, known for their extravagant spending on new captains and ‘X-factors,’ decide to pursue him.
According to a top franchise official speaking to PTI, “Rishabh’s bidding will start at Rs 20 crore. Three teams are well-positioned to make significant bids for him. Punjab Kings, with Rs 110.5 crore, need a new captain and a marquee player. RCB has Rs 83 crore, and LSG has Rs 69 crore, both in need of a captain.” The official noted that while Gujarat Titans do not need a captain, they also have Rs 69 crore available. In contrast, DC has Rs 73 crore but is unlikely to pursue a player they previously released under contentious circumstances.
