IPL Mega Auction 2025 will happen later this year, but before the auction, the BCCI will decide the rules of the auction along with the IPL franchises. As has been the trend in the IPL, a mega auction takes place once in every three or four years. This will be the first mega auction since the year 2022.
The last time the mega auction happened, Gujarat Titans and Lucknow Super Giants had an extra advantage because they could draft three released players from the eight other teams directly into their squads. However, this time, there will be no such draft. All teams will have to choose players from their respective squads only.
There has been a lot of chatter about the number of players a team can retain before the mega auction. Some teams are saying five, some are even saying eight. At the same time, there are teams which are even saying zero retentions. The names of the teams have not come out, but it might likely be the following two teams.
1. Punjab Kings may want 0 retentions before IPL Mega Auction 2025
Punjab Kings have been a part of all IPL seasons played so far. They have played the final only once, and their last playoffs appearance came back in the year 2014. Despite being in the league for so long, the Kings have never been able to form their brand around a core group of players.
They released Mayank Agarwal just one season after appointing him as captain for the mega auction cycle. Perhaps, PBKS want to hit the reset button and build a squad around a fixed group of players now.
2. Kolkata Knight Riders
Surprised? Well, don’t be that surprised because Kolkata Knight Riders CEO Venky Mysore himself made the suggestion. In his view, there should be zero retentions but around 5 RTMs at the auction so that the players who get retained, get the actual auction price they deserve. Also, the other players do not end up earning more than the players who come in the auction.
