NEW DELHI: Last-minute decisions have led to the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 mega auction being held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on November 24 and 25. The event, which was originally scheduled for Riyadh, has been moved to Jeddah’s Abady Al Johar Arena. In an internal email to IPL stakeholders, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed the site change and provided information about the new setup, including lodging at the Shangri-La hotel nearby.
Given the distinctive international backdrop that Jeddah offers, this auction is expected to be one of the highlights of the cricket calendar. Additionally, this event takes place at the same time as Australia and India’s first Test in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, which starts in Perth on November 22. Nonetheless, fans can watch both events with little overlap because of the time difference between Jeddah and Australia. By holding the auction in the afternoon, India Standard Time, Disney Star, the company that owns the broadcast rights to the IPL and the Test series, has made sure that there won’t be any scheduling issues.
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With 1,574 players registered, 320 capped, 1,224 uncapped, and 30 from Associate Nations, the 2025 mega auction has attracted a lot of interest. With some teams hoping to completely remodel their rosters, this large pool of players guarantees an enticing selection for the franchises.
The attention turns to some of the most well-known personalities up for bid as the preparations heat up. Top bids are anticipated for Rishabh Pant, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Arshdeep Singh, and Ishan Kishan because of their leadership, skill, and experience, which make them invaluable in the T20 format. These five stars, each of whom offers a distinct skill set essential for success in the 2018 IPL season, are likely to ignite fierce bidding wars even if many clubs have kept their key players.