IPL 2025 Mega Auction: Padikkal, Rahane Secure Homecomings; Warner, Mayank, Shardul Remain Unsold

The IPL 2025 Mega Auction delivered mixed fortunes for players, with some stars making remarkable comebacks while others, including seasoned names like David Warner and Mayank Agarwal, were left unsold. Monday’s event in Jeddah saw franchises focus on a mix of emerging talent and reliable veterans, with notable moves shaping the teams ahead of the new season.

Devdutt Padikkal, who initially went unsold, was reintroduced in the auction and returned to Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) for his base price of ₹2 crore. The stylish left-hander rejoins the team where he made his IPL debut, hoping to reignite his form.

Ajinkya Rahane, a former Mumbai batter, returned to Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for ₹1.5 crore. KKR CEO Venky Mysore expressed his delight with the acquisition, signaling Rahane’s experience as a key addition to the squad.

Despite their proven credentials, several high-profile players failed to attract bids:

• David Warner, the former Australian opener, remained unsold, marking his absence from IPL 2025.
• Mayank Agarwal, Shardul Thakur, Piyush Chawla, and Anmolpreet Singh also failed to find buyers.
• Younger talents like Arjun Tendulkar, Harvik Desai, Prince Choudhary, and Prashant Solanki joined the list of unsold players.

Key Acquisitions

• Shreyas Gopal (CSK – ₹30 lakh): The Karnataka leg-spinner moved to Chennai Super Kings at his base price.
• Glenn Phillips (GT – ₹2 crore): New Zealand’s versatile all-rounder joined Gujarat Titans after being reintroduced in the auction.
• Donovan Ferreira (DC – ₹75 lakh): The explosive keeper-batter and part-time bowler was acquired by Delhi Capitals.

KKR made strategic moves by signing Moeen Ali (₹2 crore) and pacer Umran Malik (₹75 lakh), bolstering their squad with both spin and pace options.

Emerging Talent Finds Homes

• Swastik Chikkara (RCB – ₹30 lakh): The UPT20 2024 top-scorer moved from DC to RCB, although DC’s camp contested the auctioneer’s decision, claiming their bid was missed.
• Vansh Bedi (CSK – ₹55 lakh): After a bidding war with Sunrisers Hyderabad, Chennai Super Kings secured the Delhi Premier League star.
• Sachin Baby (SRH – ₹30 lakh): The seasoned Kerala batter found a spot with Sunrisers Hyderabad.

Strategic Buys by Teams

• Andre Siddarth (CSK – ₹30 lakh): The young player, praised by Ravichandran Ashwin, was picked up after initially going unsold.
• Raj Hangargekar and Arshin Kulkarni (LSG – ₹30 lakh each): Lucknow Super Giants added depth to their squad with these domestic talents.
• Matthew Breetzke (LSG – ₹75 lakh): The South African batter added international flavor to the team.

Surprising Omissions

• Gus Atkinson: The young English pacer, despite creating waves recently, went unsold for the second time in the auction.
• Tanush Koitan: Mumbai’s spin-bowling all-rounder failed to attract interest and will miss IPL 2025.