There was a great deal of activity during the mega auction for the 2025 edition of the Indian Premier League during the two-day event in Jeddah in November 2024. Teams went all in to revamp their squads based on fresh coaching staff and strategies. The mega auction also ensured a whole lot of newbies bag their respective contracts, many of whom starred during the tournament.
In addition to the upcoming talents performing, IPL 2025 served as an outstanding platform for big-money signings to get another chance at reviving their cricketing careers. From being released by their previous sides for whatever reason to being paid the big bucks by their new ones, the 18th instalment of the cash-rich league saw many such players who turned out to be standout acquisitions.
IPL 2025: 5 auction picks that turned out to be masterstrokes
5. Noor Ahmad (INR 10 crore)
Noor Ahmad started his IPL career by spending a couple of seasons at GT. The left-arm wrist-spinner picked up 24 wickets across both editions (16 in 2023 and eight in 2024). However, he was not a part of GT’s plans and was released by the franchise. CSK aimed to build a spin-bowling unit that would complement Ravindra Jadeja. Noor’s services were acquired alongside those of Ravichandran Ashwin.
The 20-year-old Afghan turned out to be a vital introduction to CSK’s ranks. He was one of their rare bright sparks in what was an extremely underwhelming campaign for the five-time IPL champions. His control over line & length and the clever changes of pace earned him as many wickets as he took in the two years spent with GT. He picked up 24 wickets in 14 matches and came second in the race for the Purple Cap.
4. Naman Dhir (INR 5.25 crore)
Mumbai Indians used the Right To Match card on Naman Dhir to re-integrate him into the setup. The 2024 season was his first in the IPL. He scored a stunning 28-ball 62 in MI’s final league game that season. All five of MI’s retained players were Indians, and it was uncertain whether they would use the RTM card on another Indian. However, it seemed as if the team management was keen on backing Dhir.
Dhir ended up justifying the faith placed in him by being one of the most lethal finishers of the entire IPL 2025. His death overs statistics were a notch above any other batter who faced a considerable number of deliveries during the aforementioned phase. Racking up 20 fours and 10 sixes throughout the death, Dhir struck at 195.89 to help MI finish their innings on a high.
3. Prasidh Krishna (INR 9.50 crore)
Prasidh Krishna was ruled out of the 2023 and 2024 seasons due to a lumbar stress fracture and quadriceps injury, respectively. GT splashed INR 9.50 crore to bring him on board. Prasidh was never really considered as a pacer who would lead the pack, as per how he had been utilised and performed in the past. He had also not played in the IPL for a long time. There was a lot of apprehension surrounding his utilisation ahead of IPL 2025.
One major aspect which the tall and lanky pacer concentrated on was hitting the ‘hard length’ – be it with the new ball or otherwise. The extra bounce generated through such deliveries troubled quite a few batters. Prasidh’s off-cutter was a handy tool too. Despite GT not making it past the Eliminator, he emerged as the leading wicket-taker of the tournament with 25 wickets in 15 games.
2. Josh Hazlewood (INR 12.50 crore)
The birth of his impending child led to Josh Hazlewood missing the 2024 edition of the IPL. 2023 was his second year with RCB. He could only feature in three games after being ruled out for the entire campaign due to an Achilles injury. The Australian pacer enjoyed a 20-wicket run with the Men in Red and Gold. However, that was way back in 2022.
Hazlewood was instrumental in RCB’s success in their title-winning run. He was bang on with the channels he hit on most occasions. He led the line with the new ball and produced wickets at crucial junctures more often than not. It was a top season for Hazlewood, who was RCB’s second-costliest recruit after Virat Kohli. Hazlewood’s numbers read 22 wickets in 12 games at an average and strike rate of 17.54 and 12, respectively.
1. Shreyas Iyer (INR 26.75 crore)
There was no doubt that PBKS were in active pursuit of a fresh full-time skipper after they had released Shikhar Dhawan and Sam Curran. Shreyas Iyer had been unexpectedly released by Kolkata Knight Riders after winning them silverware in 2024. An intense bidding war paved the way for the buy of Iyer for a second-highest bid in the history of the cash-rich tournament.
Iyer’s charismatic captaincy led PBKS to their first playoffs appearance since 2014. PBKS secured the first position on the points table with 19 wins in 14 games (nine wins, four losses, and one no-result). Iyer also enjoyed his most successful season with the bat. He registered a 604 runs in 17 matches with 43 fours and 39 sixes under the belt. He also possessed the highest strike rate (175.07) out of the top 10 leading run-scorers this season.
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