IPL Mega Auction: How the day 1 unfolded

Day 1 of the IPL 2025 mega auction saw intense bidding wars as franchises sought to strengthen their squads for the upcoming season. The auction was marked by some surprising signings, with notable players like Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant being heavily contested. Pant set a new record with his INR 27 crore sale to Lucknow Super Giants after a thrilling battle with Delhi Capitals. Meanwhile, Gujarat Titans secured Jos Buttler for INR 15.5 crore, while Punjab Kings made headlines with their INR 26.75 crore bid for Iyer. Other top picks included Kagiso Rabada, Arshdeep Singh, and Mitchell Starc, all attracting massive bids​.

The auction, which saw all franchises vying for the best talent, featured some strategies of retaining core players and then aggressively adding key figures. While some teams focused on building a balanced side, others went all in, capitalizing on their available purse. The bidding frenzy took many by surprise, with teams such as Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bangalore managing to spend large chunks of their purse on multiple players.

As the auction wrapped up its first day, several teams had filled a good portion of their rosters. The remaining budgets will influence how teams approach Day 2, looking to secure the final few players they need. Here’s a summary of the remaining purses and slots left for each team at the end of Day 1: