With the IPL 2025 mega auction underway in Jeddah, the Mumbai Indians surprised many by only spending big on one player, New Zealand's Trent Boult. The defending champions, who have won the title five times in the past, bought only four players on the first day of the auction, indicating a strong faith in their current squad. The two-day auction will see 577 players up for grabs, with cricket fans eagerly following the moves of their favorite teams.
As the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 mega auction approaches, all eyes are on Tim David, the Singapore-born cricketer known for his powerful batting. After a successful debut with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in 2021, David attracted bids from six franchises in the 2022 auction before ultimately securing a record deal with Mumbai Indians (MI). With a strike rate of 216.28 in his first season with MI, David has cemented his place as one of the top T20 batsmen in the world. However, after being released by MI in 2024, it remains to be seen which team will secure his services in the upcoming auction. Stay tuned for more updates.
Indian pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar was sold for a whopping Rs 10.75 crore to Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the IPL mega auction held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. His valuation skyrocketed from his base price of Rs 2 crore as RCB and Mumbai Indians fought for his acquisition. Bhuvneshwar rejoined RCB, his first IPL franchise, after stints with Pune Warriors and Sunrisers Hyderabad where he became the team's all-time leading wicket-taker. Other notable transfers included Deepak Chahar to Mumbai Indians, Akash Deep to Lucknow Super Giants, Tushar Deshpande to Rajasthan Royals, and Delhi Capitals exercising their Right to Match option for Mukesh Kumar.
Krunal Pandya, the left-arm finger spinner and middle-order batsman, has remained a consistent performer for Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League (IPL) since 2016. After being released by MI in 2022, he joined Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) for a record-breaking price of INR 8.25 crore, but was then snatched up by RCB for INR 5.75 crore in the IPL 2025 mega auction due to his all-round skills and impressive performance in international cricket. Despite not getting as many opportunities in the national side as his brother Hardik Pandya, Krunal has proven himself to be a valuable asset for any team in the IPL.
On Day 2 of the IPL mega auction, RCB and MI made waves by securing some major players. MI snagged Indian bowler Deepak Chahar for Rs 9.25 crore and rising spinner Allah Ghazanfar for Rs 4.8 crore, while RCB made a big splash by signing Bhuvneshwar Kumar for a hefty amount. Stay tuned for live updates and a full list of players signed.
The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 mega auction witnessed a heated bidding war for young wicket-keeper opener Ishan Kishan. The 26-year-old left-handed batsman was eventually bought by Sunrisers Hyderabad for a whopping price of INR 11.25 crore. With his success in international cricket and impressive IPL record, Kishan has become one of the most sought-after players in the auction. His previous teams, Gujarat Lions and Mumbai Indians, also showed interest in him but it was SRH who secured his services.
In this interview, Desert Vipers' Luke Wood, who has played in the Indian Premier League for the Mumbai Indians, talks about the ongoing debate on the best Test batter in the modern era. While acknowledging the greatness of Virat Kohli and Babar Azam as multi-format players, Wood believes that Joe Root's consistent performance in the Test format makes him the best. He also shares his experience of playing in the IPL and how the Twenty20 format presents a unique challenge for bowlers.
With the IPL mega auction just around the corner, teams will be vying for top overseas players such as Jos Buttler, Mitchell Starc, Marco Jansen, Mitchell Marsh, and Liam Livingstone. Buttler's batting prowess and leadership qualities make him a hot commodity, while Starc's thunderbolts and left-arm angle could fetch him a big bid. Youngsters like Jansen and Livingstone also have a chance to land lucrative deals with their impressive T20 performances. It remains to be seen which team will come out on top in the bidding war for these players.
After a dominant performance by Seamer Spencer Johnson, Australia defeated Pakistan by 13 runs to claim the three-match T20I series 2-0. Pakistan struggled to chase down a target of 148 as Johnson claimed five wickets, including three in the top order. Despite a late counter-attack by Irfan Khan, Pakistan fell short and were dismissed for 134. Earlier, Australia had a strong start with their opening batsmen hitting boundaries and sixes, but Pakistan's Haris Rauf and Abbas Afridi restricted them to 147-9. Ultimately, Australia's strong bowling performance proved to be the difference as they clinched the series.
In the highly anticipated T20 match between India and South Africa, Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav expressed his disappointment after losing the toss but remained confident in his team's ability to put up a big total in the first innings. With the upcoming series against England in mind, Indian openers Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson will be looking to prove themselves and secure their spot in the playing XI. The South Africa skipper, Aiden Markram, on the other hand, chose to bowl first, hoping to make early inroads into the Indian batting order.