Fast bowlers dominated the second day of the IPL 2025 auction in Jeddah, with Bhuvneshwar Kumar emerging as the highest-priced player of the day. The seasoned pacer was snapped up by Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) for INR 10.75 crore (approximately US$1.28 million), making him the most expensive acquisition so far.
Bhuvneshwar’s purchase highlights the increasing demand for quality fast bowlers in the IPL. Other notable fast-bowling acquisitions included Deepak Chahar, who was bought by Mumbai Indians for INR 9.25 crore (US$1.10 million), and Akash Deep, who went to Lucknow Super Giants for INR 8 crore (US$0.95 million). Mukesh Kumar also fetched INR 8 crore (US$0.95 million), joining Delhi Capitals, while Marco Jansen, the pace-bowling allrounder, was acquired by Punjab Kings for INR 7 crore (US$0.83 million). Rajasthan Royals (RR) also secured Tushar Deshpande for INR 6.50 crore (US$0.77 million).
RCB and RR were among the teams battling for Indian spin allrounders, with RCB successfully securing Krunal Pandya for INR 5.75 crore (US$0.68 million). Rajasthan Royals countered by acquiring Nitish Rana for INR 4.20 crore (US$0.50 million).
The IPL 2025 auction has seen fast bowlers, all-rounders, and emerging Indian talent fetching high bids. While Bhuvneshwar Kumar and the others made headlines, several big names went unsold, including Shardul Thakur, Kane Williamson, Ajinkya Rahane, and Prithvi Shaw, whose base price of INR 75 lakh failed to attract any bidders.
The auction began on a historic note the previous day, when Punjab Kings made waves by buying Shreyas Iyer for INR 26.75 crore, followed by Lucknow Super Giants’ record purchase of Rishabh Pant for INR 27 crore, marking the highest price in IPL history.
As the auction continues to unfold, teams are continuing to strengthen their squads, with particular emphasis on bolstering their pace attack and all-rounder options for the 2025 season.
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