Five most surprising picks of IPL auction 2025

From exciting teenage batter Vaibhav Suryavanshi and all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer to Chinaman Noor Ahmad and pacer Tushar Deshpande, a few cricketers grabbed eyeballs for the price they got. A total of Rs639.15 crore was spent on players, the most in the league's history

By Mohsin Kamal

Published: Nov 27, 2024 04:21:07 PM IST

Updated: Feb 21, 2025 03:02:12 PM IST

Clockwise from top - Venkatesh Iyer, Tushar Deshpande, Noor Ahmad, and Rasikh Salam. Image: AFP

The recently concluded Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 auction saw Rs639.15 crore spent on players—the most in the T20 league’s history. A total of 1,577 players had registered for the auction, but the list was pruned down to 577 of which 182 players were bought by the 10 franchises.

There were quite a few bidding wars at the auction table with both international and Indian stars going for huge money at the two-day event, held in Saudi Arabia’s Jeddah city. India’s wicket-keeper batter Rishabh Pant was signed by Lucknow Super Giants for a whopping Rs27 crore, making him the most expensive player in IPL history. A few other players were bought in excess of Rs20 crore—a figure that had crossed just twice earlier in the auctions.

While some players were expected to fetch big money, given the value they offer, the signing amounts of a few others left everyone awestruck. Here are the five most surprising picks at the IPL auction.

1. Vaibhav Suryavanshi (Rajasthan Royals): Rs1.1 crore

Bihar’s Vaibhav Suryavanshi created history by becoming the youngest player to get an IPL contract. The 13-year-old has grabbed eyeballs with his impressive performances in age-group cricket. Playing for India U-19, he scored a century against Australia in the youth Test last month. The IPL franchises got to know of him after he was picked for Bihar’s Ranji Trophy team. At the auction, Delhi Capitals and Rajasthan Royals bid for the teenager with the Royals buying him at Rs1.1 crore. Suryavanshi’s inclusion has sparked a debate on social media with people wondering how someone so young can be ready for a competitive league like the IPL. But Rajasthan Royals coach Rahul Dravid cleared the air, saying, "I think he's (Suryavanshi) got some really good skills, so we thought it might be a good environment for him to grow in. Vaibhav just came to our trials… and we were happy with what he saw.”

Venkatesh Iyer
Image: Indraneel Mukherjee Venkatesh Iyer Image: Indraneel Mukherjee

2. Venkatesh Iyer (Kolkata Knight Riders): Rs23.75 crore

Venkatesh Iyer has been around for a while, but no one expected him to go for such huge money at the auction. He was snapped by his previous franchise Kolkata Knight Riders at Rs23.75 crore after an intense bidding war with Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bangalore. The left-hander became the third-most expensive player of IPL auction 2025 after Rishabh Pant and Shreyas Iyer. His earlier IPL salary was Rs8 crore. Iyer is a top-order batter who can shift gears whenever needed. He can bowl some medium pace as well. But with the Impact Player rule in the IPL, his role has been limited to batting. However, since Kolkata Knight Riders needs a new captain in the upcoming season, it seems they are looking at Iyer to take up the leadership role.

Noor Ahmad
Image: Sajjad Hussain / AFP Noor Ahmad Image: Sajjad Hussain / AFP

3. Noor Ahmad (Chennai Super Kings): Rs10 crore

From Mohammad Nabi to Rashid Khan, several Afghanistan players have earned a name for themselves on the international stage. A new addition to this star-studded list is Noor Ahmad, a Chinaman bowler. Though Noor was exceptional for Gujarat Titans in the previous editions of the IPL, one did not expect him to go for Rs 10 crore. Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings bid hard for him, and then Gujarat Titans used the RTM (right-to-match) option. However, Chennai Super Kings spiked the amount so high that Gujarat Titans couldn’t match it. Noor could be a game-changer at Chennai’s spin-friendly Chepauk wicket.

Tushar Deshpande
Image: Surjeet Yadav/ AFP Tushar Deshpande Image: Surjeet Yadav/ AFP

4. Tushar Deshpande (Rajasthan Royals): Rs6.50 crore

Fast bowlers who have made a name in international cricket are usually in demand at the IPL auction, but one rarely sees lesser-known Indian pacers grabbing fat contracts. Tushar Deshpande is one such bowler who surprised many. The right-arm pacer was purchased by Rajasthan Royals for Rs6.50 crore after a bidding battle with his previous franchise Chennai Super Kings. Deshpande has played two T20Is for India, but has since disappeared from the scene. Although he has had success in patches in the IPL, his high economy rate (9.64) often comes under the scanner. However, with Rajasthan Royals showing immense confidence in him, he might turn things around in the upcoming IPL. He has the variations and can bowl with the hard ball too.

Rasikh Salam
Image: Money Sharma / AFP Rasikh Salam Image: Money Sharma / AFP

5. Rasikh Salam (Royal Challengers Bangalore): Rs6 crore

The pacer from Jammu & Kashmir was one of the talking points of the IPL auction. With Royal Challengers Bangalore roping him in for Rs6 crore, he became the most expensive uncapped player [someone who has not played international cricket] of this edition. He was expected to get a good contract, but no one imagined him going for over Rs5 crore since he has played just 11 IPL matches so far. Salam first came into the spotlight in 2019 when Mumbai Indians bought him at the IPL auction and played him in the very first match. But he was found guilty of age-fudging and faced a two-year ban. The youngster didn’t give up hope and continued to work hard. Last year, he bowled a few match-winning spells for Delhi Capitals. And in the recently held Emerging Asia Cup, he was India’s best bowler, especially with his death bowling skills.