The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 mega auction is just days away as the excitement builds towards one of cricket's biggest event that will be held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on November 24 and 25. This is the second time that the IPL mega auction is held outside India after last year's event in Dubai. (Event Guide | More Cricket News)
This year's mega auction will have 1574 players registered, with the BCCI zeroing on a total of 574 names going under the hammer. 366 names are Indian whereas 208 are overseas cricketers, including three associate nation players.
However, IPL auction has produced some shock buys and unsold stars over the years. Below we list down the 10 biggest unsold stars from the Indian Premier League auction:
1) Nathan Lyon (Australia)
Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon has always kept the Indian batters busy at the crease but that hasn't helped his case at the Indian Premier League auction table. The offie's first taste of IPL auction came in 2014 where he went unsold at his base price of INR 1crore. The trend continued for the next two seasons. Lyon did not find any suitors in the 2017 and 2018 edition as he did not enter post that.
2) Cheteshwar Pujara (India)
Indian Test batting stalwart Cheteshwar Pujara has featured in the IPL between 2010 and 2014. His last stint came with Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings) in 2014 season. Pujara's 'Test' batting image probably saw him being ignored at IPL auctions as the Saurashtra-born did not get any franchises in 2016 and 2017 auctions.
3) Martin Guptill (New Zealand)
New Zealand's dashing opener Martin Guptill has been a thorn in opposition bowlers thanks to his big-hitting skills up the order. However, that has not been the case with IPL franchises. The Kiwi opener has failed to attract bids in the 2011, 2013, 2014 and 2016 seasons despite entering the auction. After going unsold in the 2020 edition, Guptill earned the tag of being the first player in IPL history to remain unsold most number of seasons (six).
4) Steve Smith (Australia)
Former Australia captain Steve Smith is regarded in the same breath as Virat Kohli, Kane Williamson and Joe Root, and famously titled as the 'Fab Four'. However, Smith's fortunes in IPL has not been kind. The star batter, who led Rising Pune SuperGiant to the IPL final in 2017, has featured for four teams namely - Pune Warriors India, Rajasthan Royals, Rising Pune Supergiant, and the Delhi Capitals. Smith went unsold in the 2022 auction as well as in the 2024 auction.
5) Darren Bravo (West Indies)
West Indies cricket possess some of the best T20 players in the world and the likes of Sunil Narine and Kieron Pollard are prime examples. However, Darren Bravo might count himself unlucky as the southpaw has failed to ignite the franchises at the IPL auction table. Bravo managed to find a bid in the 2012 and 2017 auctions with Deccan Chargers and Kolkata Knight Riders, respectively. However, he went unsold for consecutive seasons between his stints with DC and KKR.
6) Vernon Philander (South Africa)
Proteas bowler Vernon Philander turned eyeballs after the former went unsold in the IPL auction as many as five editions. The fast bowler saw himself being ignored for five editions straight after which Philander did not shortlist himself in the auctions. Philander registered with a base price of 200,000 USD for the 2012 edition but unfortunately, no team fancied their chances for the Proteas bowler.
7) Brian Lara (West Indies)
Brian Charles Lara was a surprise omission from the IPL auction during the 2011 edition. The former West Indies captain had a base price of INR 3 crores at the age of 41. Lara came in to the audition with a lack of T20 experience with only three T20I matches in the Zimbabwe domestic circuit. Sadly, Lara found no suitors and failed to impress the franchises at the auction table.
8) Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka)
Former Sri Lankan wicketkeeper-captain Kumar Sangakkara had a run of 120 runs from nine games in the 2013 season, followed by his backout of the 2014 edition. This deterred him from earning an IPL contract after franchises moved to other options. His international retirement did not help the cause either.
9) Ishant Sharma (India)
Ishant Sharma had last played a T20I in 2013 but the lanky fast bowler failed impress the franchises as he had gone unsold despite the his base price being INR 2 crore.
10) Sourav Ganguly (India)
Indian cricketing icon Sourav Ganguly was axed by his franchise Kolkata Knight Riders and 'Dada' found so suitors in the 2011 auction. Despite Ganguly being snapped up by Pune Warriors (defunct) in the middle of the season as a replacement for the injured Ashish Nehra, it was a stark reminder that franchises favoured form and age rather name and reputation.
