IPL 2025 mega auction: Top steals from Day 1
What's the story
The first day of the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) mega auction in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, saw bidding wars aplenty.
The franchises used different tricks to get their hands on their desired players, with some teams getting top talent at a bargain.
While players like Rishabh Pant and Shreyas Iyer broke the banks, franchises sealed some value deals.
Have a look at the top steals from Day 1 of the mega auction.
#1
Rachin Ravindra: A versatile player at a bargain price
New Zealand's all-rounder Rachin Ravindra was one of the standout bargains of the day. Chennai Super Kings (CSK) secured him for ₹4 crore.
Despite his modest impact in the previous IPL season with Chennai Super Kings, Ravindra has shown his batting prowess on Indian pitches.
His impressive performances during the 2023 ICC ODI World Cup and recent Test series in India underscored his value as a versatile player.
#2
Quinton de Kock: Experienced wicket-keeper batter
Another steal deal was South African wicket-keeper batter Quinton de Kock, who was snapped up for ₹3.60 crore by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).
With a base price of ₹2 crore in the auction, de Kock's rich T20 and IPL experience made him a valuable addition to the team.
This strategic acquisition balanced out KKR's budget after their hefty expenditure on Venkatesh Iyer.
#3
Glenn Maxwell: Explosive Aussie batter joins PBKS
Australian batter Glenn Maxwell will play for Punjab Kings in IPL 2025.
Notably, the Royal Challengers Bangalore had released him ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction.
They didn't activate the RTM card as the player went back to his former side, PBKS.
Maxwell had set his base price at ₹2 crore, and the Kings bought him for only ₹4.2 crore.
Notably, RCB had signed Maxwell during the IPL 2021 auction for ₹14.5 crore.
#4
Mitchell Marsh: A dynamic all-rounder at a low price
Australian all-rounder Mitchell Marsh was another steal deal of the day, bagged by Lucknow Super Giants for ₹3.40 crore.
Despite his base price being set at ₹2 crore, Marsh's dynamic batting skills and occasional bowling contributions made him a desirable pick.
However, concerns over his injury-prone nature and inconsistent performance may have deterred some franchises from bidding higher.
#5
Wanindu Hasaranga: An incredible Lankan spinner
Rajasthan Royals acquired Sri Lanka's Wanindu Hasaranga for a sum of ₹5.25 crore at the event.
The wrist-spinner has emerged as a match-winner for the Lankans in limited-overs cricket.
Hasaranga was released by Royal Challengers after the 2023 season. He was RCB's highest wicket-taker in IPL 2022 as he finished with 26 wickets at 16.54.