IPL Mega Auction: SRH Snags Ishan Kishan, Phil Salt Joins RCB, Bairstow Goes Unsold

The IPL Mega Auction in Jeddah on Sunday witnessed high drama as Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) clinched Ishan Kishan, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) secured Phil Salt, and Jonny Bairstow went unsold in a surprising turn of events.

India’s wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan, who has been out of favor in recent international fixtures, became the center of an intense bidding war. The auction for Kishan opened at ₹2 crore, with Mumbai Indians (MI) quickly showing interest to reunite with their former player. Punjab Kings (PBKS) joined in, and as the bids escalated to ₹10 crore, MI pulled out, leaving PBKS in the lead. However, SRH made a late entry and sealed the deal at ₹11.25 crore, strengthening their batting lineup.

England’s aggressive opener Phil Salt also commanded attention. The bidding began at ₹2 crore, with RCB and MI initially battling it out. After MI exited the race, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) stepped in, escalating the bid beyond ₹10 crore. In the end, RCB emerged victorious with a final bid of ₹11.5 crore, adding Salt’s explosive capabilities to their roster.

In a surprising turn, England’s Jonny Bairstow, who was among the leading run-scorers last season with Punjab Kings, failed to attract any bids. Despite his credentials, Bairstow’s name went unsold during the capped wicketkeeper-batter round.

Afghanistan’s keeper-batter Rahmanullah Gurbaz found a home with KKR at his base price of ₹2 crore after the franchise missed out on Salt. Meanwhile, Vidarbha’s Jitesh Sharma sparked interest from multiple franchises. RCB ultimately acquired him for ₹11 crore after PBKS decided against using their Right to Match (RTM) card.

South Africa’s Quinton de Kock also saw bidding action, starting at ₹2 crore. SRH initiated the bidding, followed by MI and later KKR, who successfully secured the wicketkeeper-batter for ₹3.6 crore.