IPL Mega Auction 2025: Squad Strength And Remaining Players With RTM Cards On Day 2
The IPL Mega Auction 2025 kicked off in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, with teams eagerly bidding on Indian cricketers. On the first day, 72 out of a possible 204 slots were filled. Teams spent a total of Rs 467.95 crore, focusing heavily on acquiring top talent.
From the list of 577 players available for auction, 84 went under the hammer. Out of these, 72 players were successfully picked by teams, while 12 remained unsold. This initial day saw several teams nearing completion of their squads.
Lucknow Super Giants made headlines by purchasing Rishabh Pant for Rs 27 Crore, setting a new record for the most expensive buy in IPL history. Although Delhi Capitals matched Lucknow's bid at Rs 20.75 Crore, they couldn't use their Right to Match (RTM) card to secure Pant.
Punjab Kings surprised many by opting for Shreyas Iyer instead of Pant. They acquired the former Kolkata Knight Riders captain for Rs 26.75 Crore. Both Pant and Iyer surpassed the previous record set by Mitchell Starc's Rs 24.25 Crore purchase in the 2024 auction.
Delhi Capitals may have missed out on Pant but succeeded in buying back Australian opener Jake Fraser-McGurk using their RTM card. Similarly, Punjab Kings used an RTM card to retain Arshdeep Singh before Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians exhausted their RTM options.
Teams like Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru still hold RTM cards, which could be pivotal on day two of the auction. It remains to be seen which players they will target with these strategic options.
Current Squad Compositions
By the end of day one, most teams had secured at least 11 players each. However, Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Mumbai Indians have only nine players each in their squads so far. All teams are required to fill a minimum of 18 slots.
As it stands, RCB and PBKS have three RTM cards each remaining. Gujarat Titans, Lucknow Super Giants, Sunrisers Hyderabad, and Delhi Capitals each have one RTM card left. Meanwhile, Chennai Super Kings, Mumbai Indians, Kolkata Knight Riders, and Rajasthan Royals have no RTM cards remaining.
IPL Auction 2025 Remaining Slots & RTM Cards on Day 2
| Team | Squad Strength | Overseas Players | Remaining Slots | Overseas Slot Left | RTM Card Left |
| RCB | 9 | 3 | 16 | 5 | 3 (All capped, or 2 capped & 1 uncapped) |
| CSK | 12 | 4 | 13 | 4 | 0 |
| MI | 9 | 1 | 16 | 7 | 0 |
| KKR | 13 | 5 | 12 | 3 | 0 |
| DC | 13 | 4 | 12 | 4 | 1 (capped or uncapped) |
| PBKS | 12 | 2 | 13 | 6 | 3 (All capped) |
| RR | 11 | 4 | 14 | 4 | 0 |
| GT | 14 | 3 | 11 | 5 | 1 (only 1 capped) |
| LSG | 12 | 4 | 13 | 4 | 1 (only 1 capped) |
| SRH | 13 | 4 | 12 | 4 | 1 (only 1 uncapped) |
The auction continues with anticipation as teams aim to finalise their squads for the upcoming season. The strategic use of remaining slots and RTM cards will be crucial as teams look to strengthen their line-ups further.
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