Steven Smith Among Big Names to Go Unsold in IPL 2025 Mega Auction

The IPL 2025 Mega Auction, held in Jeddah, delivered its share of surprises as several high-profile international stars, including Australia’s Steven Smith, went unsold. Despite a mix of strategic buys and unexpected omissions, the auction kept fans and franchises on the edge of their seats.

Steven Smith, one of the most established names in world cricket, failed to attract any bids. Punjab Kings (PBKS), expected to show interest given Smith’s success under Ricky Ponting in Major League Cricket, did not raise the paddle. Other international stars like Sri Lanka’s Pathum Nissanka, West Indies’ Brandon King, and England’s Gus Atkinson also went unsold.

Notable omissions included Sikandar Raza, who played for PBKS last season, and Alzarri Joseph, a premium pacer for the West Indies who last represented Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

• Harnoor Singh: Punjab Kings kicked off proceedings by signing the uncapped batter for ₹30 lakh.
• Yudhvir Charak: Rajasthan Royals acquired the Jammu and Kashmir pacer for ₹35 lakh after beating competition from Mumbai Indians.
• Akash Singh: The former Chennai Super Kings and Sunrisers Hyderabad bowler switched to Lucknow Super Giants for ₹30 lakh.
• Gurjapneet Singh: In one of the most intense bidding wars, the 6’3” left-arm pacer from Tamil Nadu joined Chennai Super Kings for ₹2.2 crore. After initial bids from Lucknow Super Giants, Gujarat Titans entered the fray but ultimately lost out to CSK.
• Kuldeep Sen: The Madhya Pradesh quick moved to Punjab Kings for ₹80 lakh after a brief tussle with CSK.

While some global stars went unsold, a few made moves:

• Mitchell Santner (New Zealand): The left-arm spinner switched from CSK to Mumbai Indians for his base price of ₹2 crore.
• Fazalhaq Farooqi (Afghanistan): The left-arm swing bowler was acquired by Rajasthan Royals for ₹2 crore.
• Reece Topley (England): The left-arm pacer joined Mumbai Indians for ₹75 lakh after MI opened and closed the bidding.

Domestic stalwarts like Rishi Dhawan and Arshin Kulkarni were among the Indian players who went unsold, alongside promising names such as Andre Siddarth.