New Delhi: The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 auction is almost upon us and the anticipation and excitement among the fans have reached a fever pitch for the tw0-day mega-event in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
With several big names in the auction pool, the bidding wars between the 10 franchises are expected to rewrite history on November 24 and 25.
A total of 574 players including 366 Indians and 208 foreign players have shortlisted their names in the auction list. While all of them will go under the hammer, teams can fill only 204 slots including 70 foreign cricketers.
One of the most highly-anticipated categories of players will be the Indian fast bowlers. With several big guns released by their franchises on the retention deadline day in October, all 10 franchises will have plenty of options to choose from.
Here’s a look at the most wanted Indian pacers available at the IPL 2025 mega auction.
Mohammed Shami
Shami has been one of the most consistent performers in both international cricket and the IPL over the past few years but that was not enough for him to be retained by Gujarat Titans ahead of the mega-auction. Injured for the last year, Shami was released by GT on retention deadline day.
The seasoned Indian pacer, who made his competitive comeback earlier this week in the Ranji Trophy for Bengal, is likely to be one of the hot prospects at the auction. Bowling in competitive cricket for the first time since the ODI World Cup final in November 2023, the right-arm pacer picked up seven wickets against Madhya Pradesh to alert the franchises.
Besides his experience and ability, Shami’s impeccable record in his last two IPL edition appearances (2022 and 2023) where he picked up 48 wickets in 33 matches would also attract the franchises.
Khaleel Ahmed
After experiencing a major dip in form in the last few years, Khaleel Ahmed bounced back in style in IPL 2024. The left-arm pacer has the potential to become one of the highest earners among Indian pacers, following a wicket-laden 2024 edition where he picked up 17 wickets in the group stages.
Despite a strong display in the last edition, Khaleel was released by the Delhi Capitals in the auction pool. However, Khaleel, the travelling reserve, suffered a niggle in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and the injury could impact his chances of going big in the mega-auction.
Deepak Chahar
Fitness, not form has been the main concern for Deepak Chahar, who was released by Chennai Super Kings ahead of the mega-auction. The injury-prone fast bowler is one of the best new ball bowlers India have ever produced but the frequency of injuries has stopped his progress.
Chahar missed the 2022 edition due to a back injury and in the last two seasons, only played 18 matches for the Chennai franchise with the latest edition yielding just five wickets. If fit, Chahar is one of the best wicket-takers with the new ball, a trait several franchises would take into account while bidding for him.
Avesh Khan
One of the most consistent performers among the Indian pacers in the last few IPL seasons, Avesh is likely to bag big bucks at the mega-auction after being released by Rajasthan Royals (RR) on retention deadline day. After being traded by LSG to RR, Avesh only spent one season with the Royals, who despite a superb showing released the right-arm pacer in the auction pool. Avesh was one of the top performers for the Royals in IPL 2024 with 19 wickets in 16 matches. The Madhya Pradesh pacer is expected to be one of the hot prospects at the mega-auction.
Akash Deep
One of the fastest-growing players in Indian cricket, Akash Deep’s career took off in 2024 and a hefty auction price would act like a cherry on the cake. The West Bengal bowler has used IPL and domestic cricket as launchpads to fly into international cricket. Interstingly, his white-ball performances in the IPL have played a major role in his rise as a cricketer.
While it’s highly likely for RCB to buy back the 27-year-old pacer using the Right to Match (RTM), several franchises are likely to engage in a bidding war for the tall speedster at the auction table. His ability to take wickets would help him fetch big bucks at the mega-auction in Jeddah.
