David Warner, IPL Auction Unsold List:
The two-day mega IPL 2025 auction is unfolding in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. On the first day (November 24th), the 10 teams spent a total of 467.95 crore rupees to acquire 72 players. The auction will continue on Monday (November 25th). Former Australian opener David Warner experienced the biggest setback on the first day. Despite a base price of 2 crore rupees, no team purchased him. A total of 12 players went unsold on the first day.
Warner is a well-known name himself. Fans and pundits alike were surprised to see him unsold. A similar situation happened with England's wicketkeeper-batsman Jonny Bairstow and India's young sensation Devdutt Padikkal, as they too went unsold.
Bairstow-Warner Remain Without Buyers
In the previous season, Warner was part of the Delhi Capitals (DC), but the franchise released him. This time around, there was no interest in acquiring Warner at the auction. Warner had led the Sunrisers Hyderabad to an IPL title in 2018 and has been one of the most consistent players in the IPL.
Meanwhile, Bairstow played for Punjab Kings last season, earning 6.75 crore rupees. However, Punjab released him, and again, there was no interest from franchises this time around either.
Padikkal Playing Test Series in Australia
Currently on tour in Australia, Padikkal is playing in the Perth Test. Yet, no franchise showed interest in acquiring Padikkal at this auction. Padikkal first made headlines in 2020, topping the scoring charts for RCB, but his form dipped after joining the Rajasthan team.
In the 2024 season, Padikkal scored a total of 248 runs in 12 matches at an average of 20.66 and a strike rate of 121. He debuted for India in 2021 and played the Perth Test but struggled, getting out without scoring in the first innings and failing to make an impact in the second.
Players Unsold on Day One
Rishabh Pant Steals the Show on Day One
On the first day of the auction, wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant stole the spotlight. Lucknow Super Giants secured him for a record 27 crore rupees. Pant is now the most expensive player in history. Additionally, Punjab Kings acquired Shreyas Iyer for 26.75 crore rupees, while Kolkata Knight Riders bought Venkatesh Iyer for 23.75 crore rupees.
