The eagerly awaited IPL 2025 mega auction will take place on November 24 and 25 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, marking a significant milestone in the league’s international expansion.
Originally planned for Riyadh, the venue has been moved to the Abady Al Johar Arena in Jeddah. This auction is notable not only for being held abroad for the second consecutive year but also for spanning a Sunday and Monday for the first time.
The timing coincides with the third and fourth days of the India-Australia Test series in Perth, adding to the excitement for cricket enthusiasts globally.
Player Registration and Participation Overview
This year’s auction will showcase a record 1,574 registered players, comprising 1,165 Indian and 409 international players. Among these, there are 320 capped players (48 Indian and 272 international), 1,224 uncapped players, and 30 from Associate Nations, creating a highly competitive and diverse selection.
South Africa leads with 91 overseas player registrations, followed by Australia with 76, England with 52, New Zealand with 39, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan with 29 each, and the West Indies contributing 33 players. These figures highlight the global interest in participating in the IPL, emphasizing the league’s international allure.
Venue and Logistics
The auction will be conducted at the Abady Al Johar Arena in Jeddah. Franchise owners, officials, and guests will be accommodated at the nearby Hotel Shangri-La. This logistical setup aims to ensure easy access and smooth coordination for all attendees, facilitating a successful event.
Retention Policies and Franchise Strategies
All ten IPL franchises revealed their player retention decisions on October 31. According to the rules for 2025, each team has a budget of INR 120 crore to build a squad of 25 players, allowing for up to six retained players—comprising a maximum of five capped internationals and two uncapped Indian players. A total of 46 players have been retained across all teams, amounting to an investment of INR 558.5 crore.
The defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and inaugural winners Rajasthan Royals each retained six players. Other franchises like Chennai Super Kings, Gujarat Titans, Lucknow Super Giants, Mumbai Indians, and Sunrisers Hyderabad retained five players each. Delhi Capitals kept four players, Royal Challengers Bangalore retained three, while Punjab Kings held onto two players.
Retained Players by Team
Chennai Super Kings: Ruturaj Gaikwad, Matheesha Pathirana, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni
Delhi Capitals: Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Tristan Stubbs, Abhishek Porel
Gujarat Titans: Rashid Khan, Shubman Gill, Sai Sudharsan, Rahul Tewatia, Shahrukh Khan
Kolkata Knight Riders: Rinku Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, Harshit Rana, Ramandeep Singh
Lucknow Super Giants: Nicholas Pooran, Ravi Bishnoi, Mayank Yadav, Mohsin Khan, Ayush Badoni
Mumbai Indians: Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Rohit Sharma, Tilak Varma
Punjab Kings: Shashank Singh, Prabhsimran Singh
Rajasthan Royals: Sanju Samson, Yashaswi Jaiswal, Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel, Shimron Hetmyer, Sandeep Sharma
Royal Challengers Bangalore: Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar, Yash Dayal
Sunrisers Hyderabad: Pat Cummins, Abhishek Sharma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Heinrich Klaasen, Travis Head
