The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 mega auction is set to take place on November 24 and 25 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. This marks the second consecutive year that the auction will be held overseas, with Dubai hosting the 2024 event. The auction’s timing coincides with the third and fourth days of the first Test between India and Australia in Perth, adding further excitement to the cricketing calendar.

Unlike the regular auctions, the IPL’s mega auction, which occurs every three years, spans two days and draws significant global attention. This auction will play a key role in shaping the squads of the ten IPL franchises for the 2025-2027 seasons.

A total of 1,574 players have registered for the auction, including 1,165 Indian players and 409 overseas players. The overseas pool features players from diverse cricketing nations, such as Italy, Canada, Netherlands, Scotland, the USA, and the UAE, alongside the Full Member nations (excluding Pakistan). Teams will have the opportunity to purchase up to 25 players, meaning there are 204 available slots for new signings following player retention.

As of November 4, the final deadline for player registration, the IPL's governing body, the BCCI, confirmed the list of registered players.

The retention process, which concluded on October 31, saw 46 players retained across all teams. Heinrich Klaasen of Sunrisers Hyderabad emerged as the most expensive retention, valued at INR 23 crore, while Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bangalore) and Nicholas Pooran (Lucknow Super Giants) were both retained for INR 21 crore.

The biggest retention move came from Mumbai Indians, who managed to hold on to their star Indian players — Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Rohit Sharma, and Tilak Varma — for a total INR 75 crore, ensuring their core remains intact ahead of the new season.

Each franchise has been allotted a purse of INR 120 crore to build their squads. Following the retention process, Punjab Kings are left with the largest remaining budget of INR 110.5 crore, having retained just two uncapped players—Shashank Singh and Prabhsimran Singh—for a combined total of INR 9.5 crore. In contrast, Rajasthan Royals have the smallest purse, standing at INR 41 crore, after retaining six players along with Kolkata Knight Riders, who have INR 51 crore to spend at the auction.

The IPL 2025 auction also introduces the option of Right-to-Match (RTM), where teams can buy back a player who has been purchased by another franchise. Teams can retain up to six players, with a maximum of five capped and two uncapped players.

Punjab Kings, having retained only two players, possess the most RTM options at four. Royal Challengers Bangalore have three RTM options, while Delhi Capitals have two. Other franchises like Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings, Gujarat Titans, Sunrisers Hyderabad, and Lucknow Super Giants each have just one RTM option. Teams like Rajasthan Royals and Kolkata Knight Riders have no RTM options.

The auction will offer a thrilling opportunity for franchises to reshape their teams with high-profile signings, as there is no limit on the number of players a team can purchase if they secure the highest bid during regular bidding.