The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 mega auction, scheduled from Sunday to Monday, is poised to be one of the most captivating events in this year's cricketing calendar. With several international stars participating, potential record-breaking bids, and unexpected player movements, the auction promises to be a spectacle. A total of 574 players have been shortlisted from an initial pool of 1,574, including 208 overseas players, 12 uncapped overseas talents, and 318 uncapped Indian players. The auction will take place on November 24-25 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Among the players are some notable names from India's ICC U19 World Cup campaign, where they finished as runners-up. These young talents will be looking to emulate the success of Virat Kohli, who, after winning the U19 WC in 2008, was signed by Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and went on to become the highest run-getter in IPL history.
Here are some of India's U19 stars to watch:
Uday Saharan: The top-run-getter in the tournament with 397 runs in seven matches, including a century and three fifties.
Musheer Khan: The second-highest run-getter with 360 runs and seven wickets, who has since excelled in first-class cricket.
Sachin Dhas: The third-highest run-getter for India, with 303 runs and a century.
Arshin Kulkarni: A pace-bowling all-rounder who could potentially fill the shoes of star player Hardik Pandya.
Saumy Pandey: The top wicket-taker for India with 18 scalps.
Naman Tiwari: The most successful Indian pacer in the U19 World Cup, with 12 wickets.
Raj Limbani: A right-arm pacer with 11 wickets in the tournament.
The highest reserve price is set at Rs20 million, with 81 players opting for this bracket. Notable names include Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant, and KL Rahul, who are part of the 12 marquee players. For the first time since 2018, the marquee players are divided into two sets, comprising seven Indian players and five overseas stars.
Several teams will use Right-to-Match (RTM) cards during the auction. The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) will not have any RTM cards, while Punjab Kings (PBKS) hold four, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) three, and Delhi Capitals (DC) two. Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Gujarat Titans (GT), Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), and Mumbai Indians (MI) each have one RTM.
The IPL 2025 Mega Auction is set to deliver high-stakes action, with marquee players and strategic maneuvers expected to captivate cricket fans.
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