Bhuvneshwar Kumar Breaches INR 10 Crore Barrier as RCB Makes Big Moves on Day 2 of IPL 2025 Mega Auction
Bhuvneshwar Kumar became the standout player on the second day of the IPL 2025 mega auction, crossing the INR 10 crore mark after a spirited bidding war. Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) swooped in late with their first bid of INR 10.75 crores, securing the two-time Purple Cap winner in a thrilling contest with Mumbai Indians and Lucknow Super Giants, reports Live Cricket Score.
RCB, starting the day with the most significant remaining purse of INR 30.65 crores, reunited with Kumar, who incidentally made his T20 debut for them during the 2009 Champions League T20 tournament.
Indian Pacers Shine
Indian fast bowlers dominated the day’s proceedings. Deepak Chahar emerged as another top earner, joining Mumbai Indians for INR 9.25 crores after a late but unsuccessful attempt by Chennai Super Kings to reclaim their former star. Meanwhile, despite Punjab Kings’ aggressive bidding, Delhi Capitals used their Right to Match (RTM) card to retain Mukesh Kumar for INR 8 crores. Lucknow Super Giants secured Akash Deep for the same amount.
Among overseas players, South African quick Marco Jansen fetched INR 7 crores from Punjab Kings, outlasting bids from Mumbai Indians and Gujarat Titans. His all-around abilities, recently showcased in the India series, boosted his value.
Conservative Spending Prevails
With diminishing budgets, teams exercised caution on Day 2. Several marquee players, including David Warner, Jonny Bairstow, Shardul Thakur, and Prithvi Shaw, went unsold. As franchises prioritised filling specific gaps, many others were picked at their base price.
All-rounders, however, saw bursts of competitive bidding. RCB secured Krunal Pandya for INR 5.75 crores after a prolonged tussle with Rajasthan Royals, who later claimed Nitish Rana for INR 4.2 crores.
Chennai Super Kings reunited with Sam Curran, acquiring him for INR 2.4 crores—a sharp decline from the INR 18.5 crores Punjab Kings paid in 2023. Former RCB captain Faf du Plessis also found a new home, joining Delhi Capitals for his base price of INR 2 crores.
Key Acquisitions by Mumbai Indians and Others
Mumbai Indians strengthened their bowling attack by signing Afghan spinner Allah Ghazanfar for INR 4.8 crores. Gujarat Titans made a wise move, picking up Washington Sundar for INR 3.2 crores, reflecting the evolving valuation of all-rounders under the Impact Player rule.
Will Jacks became a highlight of the accelerated round, joining Mumbai Indians for INR 5.25 crores. Surprisingly, RCB opted not to use their RTM card for Jacks despite his sensational century in Ahmedabad last season.
Instead, RCB added former MI players Romario Shepherd (INR 1.5 crores) and Tim David (INR 3 crores). They also used an RTM card to return Swapnil Singh for INR 50 lakh.
Chennai Super Kings secured emerging talent Anshul Kamboj for INR 3.4 crores. The Haryana seamer, who recently took 10 wickets in a Ranji Trophy innings and topped the Duleep Trophy charts, was among the day’s most talked-about domestic signings.
Unprecedented Moves and Young Talent
Rajasthan Royals made headlines by signing 13-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi for INR 1.1 crores, the youngest player in IPL auction history. The left-handed batter and spinner, who debuted for Bihar in the Ranji Trophy this year, impressed with a century against Australia Under-19 and his performances in the U-19 Asia Cup.
Delhi batter Priyansh Arya also fetched attention, with Punjab Kings securing him for INR 3.8 crores. Arya, known for his six sixes in an over during the Delhi Premier League, was the top scorer for Delhi in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and continued his form with a century in the ongoing season.
Auction Wrap-Up
The two-day auction concluded with INR 639.15 crores spent on 182 players, including 62 overseas talents and 85 uncapped players. Franchises exercised only 8 of the 14 available RTMs, reflecting a calculated approach in squad building.
As the dust settled, franchises emerged with bolstered squads, setting the stage for a competitive IPL 2025 season.
