The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 mega auction in Jeddah has delivered some of the most shocking moments in recent history. It witnessed the surprise of Indian cricketers like Prithvi Shaw going unsold at a base price of INR 75 lakhs, despite his established presence in the league with Delhi Capitals (DC).
Known for his elegance and consistency, Shaw’s failure to attract any bids stunned many, setting the tone for a highly unpredictable auction. Alongside him, some cricketing legends like David Warner, Steve Smith and Kane Williamson went without bidders, despite their extensive track records and experience in international cricket. These surprising snubs have left fans questioning the evolving strategies of franchises, who appear to be more focused on younger talent and fulfilling specific team needs rather than signing big names.
Franchise strategy shifts: Young talent over veteran superstars
In a major shift from previous years, IPL 2025 saw franchises place a strong emphasis on younger players and emerging talent, rather than veteran stars. This strategy was evident as fast bowlers such as Umesh Yadav, Mustafizur Rahman and Naveen-ul-Haq, all priced at ₹2 crore, went unsold. Similarly, the young fast bowler Umran Malik failed to secure a bid, despite being one of India’s rising pace prospects. The lack of interest in seasoned pacers suggests that teams are now prioritizing dynamic players with specific skills or youthful exuberance to build long-term, adaptable squads. Even Piyush Chawla, an experienced spinner with a wealth of IPL knowledge, found himself unsold, signaling that franchises may be looking for more specialized spin options or younger talent in this department as well.
Shocking moments at IPL 2025 Mega Auction: Big names go unsold
One of the most jaw-dropping moments at the IPL 2025 mega auction was the failure of Warner to secure a bid. Despite being listed at a base price of INR 2 crore, Warner, a former IPL-winning captain and one of the most successful openers in the history of the league, found no takers. His unsold status has left many perplexed, especially given his explosive performances with the bat and his ability to anchor an innings under pressure.
Speculation continues about whether Warner will return in later rounds, but for now, his absence from the rosters has sparked debates about the changing nature of IPL auctions. Similarly, established stars like Williamson and Smith faced a similar fate, highlighting that franchises are evolving beyond the comfort of big names, opting instead to invest in the future of the game through fresh talent and squad-specific requirements.
Also READ: IPL 2025 Auction – Complete list of players sold at the bidding event with their price
Complete list of unsold players along with their base price in the IPL 2025 mega auction
1. Batters
- David Warner – INR 2 crore
- Anmolpreet Singh – INR 30 lakh
- Yash Dhull – INR 30 lakh
- Kane Williamson – INR 2 crore
- Mayank Agarwal – INR 1 crore
- Prithvi Shaw – INR 75 lakh
- Madhav Kaushik – INR 30 lakh
- Pukhraj Mann – INR 30 lakh
- Finn Allen – INR 2 crore
- Dewald Brevis – INR 75 lakh
- Ben Duckett – INR 2 crore
- Brandon King – INR 75 lakh
- Pathum Nissanka – INR 75 lakh
- Steve Smith – INR 2 crore
- Sachin Dhas – INR 30 lakh
- Salman Nizar – INR 30 lakh
- Leus du Plooy – INR 50 lakh
- Shivalik Sharma – INR 30 lakh
2. Bowlers
- Waqar Salamkheil – INR 75 lakh
- Kartik Tyagi – INR 40 lakh
- Piyush Chawla – INR 50 lakh
- Mujeeb Ur Rahman – INR 2 crore
- Vijayakanth Viyaskanth – INR 75 lakh
- Akeal Hosein – INR 1.50 crore
- Adil Rashid – INR 2 crore
- Keshav Maharaj – INR 75 lakh
- Sakib Hussain – INR 30 lakh
- Vidwath Kaverappa – INR 30 lakh
- Rajan Kumar – INR 30 lakh
- Prashant Solanki – INR 30 lakh
- Jhathaved Subramanyan – INR 30 lakh
- Mustafizur Rahman – INR 2 crore
- Naveen-ul-Haq – INR 2 crore
- Umesh Yadav – INR 2 crore
- Rishad Hossain – INR 75 lakh
- Raghav Goyal – INR 30 lakh
- Bailapudi Yeswanth – INR 30 lakh
- Richard Gleeson – INR 75 lakh
- Alzarri Joseph – INR 2 crore
- Luke Wood – INR 75 lakh
- Arpit Guleria – INR 30 lakh
- Jason Behrendorff – INR 1.50 crore
- Shivam Mavi – INR 75 lakh
- Navdeep Saini – INR 75 lakh
- Divesh Sharma – INR 30 lakh
- Naman Tiwari – INR 30 lakh
- Ottneil Baartman – INR 75 lakh
- Dilshan Madushanka – INR 75 lakh
- Adam Milne – INR 2 crore
- William O’Rourke – INR 1.50 crore
- Chetan Sakariya – INR 75 lakh
- Sandeep Warrier – INR 75 lakh
- Lance Morris – INR 1.25 crore
- Olly Stone – INR 75 lakh
- Anshuman Hooda – INR 30 lakh
- Blessing Muzarabani – INR 75 lakh
- Vijay Kumar – INR 30 lakh
- Kyle Jamieson – INR 1.50 crore
- Chris Jordan – INR 2 crore
- Avinash Singh – INR 30 lakh
- Prince Chaudhary – INR 30 lakh
3. All-rounders
- Utkarsh Singh – INR 30 lakh
- Shardul Thakur – INR 2 crore
- Daryl Mitchell – INR 2 crore
- Mayank Dagar – INR 30 lakh
- Rishi Dhawan – INR 30 lakh
- Shivam Singh – INR 30 lakh
- Gus Atkinson – INR 2 crore
- Sikandar Raza – INR 1.25 crore
- Sarfaraz Khan – INR 75 lakh
- Kyle Mayers – INR 1.50 crore
- Matthew Short – INR 75 lakh
- Emanjot Chahal – INR 30 lakh
- Michael Bracewell – INR 1.50 crore
- Abdul Basith – INR 30 lakh
- Raj Limbani – INR 30 lakh
- Shiva Singh – INR 30 lakh
- Dwaine Pretorius – INR 75 lakh
- Brandon McMullen – INR 30 lakh
- Atit Sheth – INR 30 lakh
- Roston Chase – INR 75 lakh
- Nathan Smith – INR 1 crore
- Ripal Patel – INR 30 lakh
- Sanjay Yadav – INR 30 lakh
- Umang Kumar – INR 30 lakh
- Digvijay Desmukh – INR 30 lakh
- Yash Dabas – INR 30 lakh
- Tanush Kotian – INR 30 lakh
- Khrievitso Kense – INR 30 lakh
4. Wicketkeepers
- Jonny Bairstow – INR 2 crore
- Upendra Yadav – INR 30 lakh
- Shai Hope – INR 1.25 crore
- KS Bharat – INR 75 lakh
- Alex Carey – INR 1 crore
- Avanish Aravelly – INR 30 lakh
- Harvik Desai – INR 30 lakh
- Josh Philippe – INR 75 lakh
- L. R. Chethan – INR 30 lakh
- Tejasvi Dahiya – INR 30 lakh
