- By Nidhi Giri
- Sun, 24 Nov 2024 05:14 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Mallika Sagar, has been once again entrusted to perform the duty of the auctioneer at the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 mega auction. The auction got underway on Sunday in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia and will take place on November 24 and 25. A total of 577 players are all set to go under the hammer during the bidding event as ten franchises are seen fighting among themselves to have several star studded players on their roster.
Who Is Mallika Sagar?
Mallika Sagar, a Mumbai-based art collector and consultant specialising in Modern and Contemporary Indian art, is a prominent figure in the world of auctions. She is a partner at Art India Consultants and has extensive experience conducting auctions with Pundoles, a renowned Mumbai-based art gallery.
Beyond the art world, Mallika has made her mark in sports-related auctions as well. She oversaw the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) players’ auction in 2021 and has conducted multiple editions of the Women’s Premier League auctions. Her career began at Christie’s in 2001, where she made history as the first woman auctioneer of Indian origin.
In 2023, Mallika achieved another milestone by becoming the first Indian individual to lead an auction for an Indian T20 league. Over the years, auctioneers like Richard Madley and Hugh Edmeades have been familiar faces at IPL auctions, but Mallika has cemented her place in this prestigious arena.
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IPL 2025 Mega Auction
India's star wicketkeeper batter Rishabh Pant set a new milestone in IPL auction history, becoming the most expensive player ever with a record-breaking bid of Rs 27 crore from Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) during the IPL 2025 mega auction on Sunday at the Abady Al-Johar Arena.
Meanwhile star bowler Arshdeep Singh has been retained by Punjab Kings for a whopping amount of Rs 18 crore at the IPL 2025 mega auction. Sunrisers Hyderabad did initially bid for him at a whopping amount of Rs 15.75 crore, Punjab Kings used their RTM card and thus retained him. SRH then started bidding for Rs 18 crore, which the Punjab-based franchise was able to match and thus retained the left-arm fast bowler.
The IPL 2025 Mega Auction is a critical event for the 10 franchises, offering them a chance to rebuild or strengthen their squads for the upcoming seasons. A total of 46 players have been retained across all teams, leaving 204 slots to be filled during the auction.
The total purse available for the franchises stands at a staggering Rs 641.5 crore, with 1,574 players in the auction pool. Among the franchises, the Punjab Kings hold the largest purse at Rs 110.5 crore, positioning them as potential power players in the auction.