Sunil Gavaskar has speculated that Delhi Capitals (DC) might shell out a staggering INR 15-20 crore at the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 mega auction to secure the services of dynamic wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan. With the auction slated to take place in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on November 24 and 25, the focus is on which teams will make bold moves to redefine their squads.
The Capitals, who previously relied on Rishabh Pant’s leadership and batting firepower, released him after IPL 2024, marking a significant shift in their strategy. Currently, DC has retained only four players: Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Tristan Stubbs, and Abhishek Porel.
In contrast, Mumbai Indians, despite their stellar track record, released Kishan after his underwhelming 2024 season, where he managed just 320 runs in 14 innings. This makes Kishan one of the marquee players in the upcoming auction. Sunil Gavaskar believes that Kishan could be the ideal candidate to fill the void left by Pant in the Capitals’ lineup.
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Speaking to Star Sports, he highlighted Kishan’s game-changing capabilities, particularly in the T20 format. “I feel Delhi will try very hard to get Ishan Kishan. They might be ready to pay 15 to 20 crores because we’ve seen how he can change the complexion of a game with his explosive batting,” Sunil Gavaskar noted.
Ishan Kishan, previously purchased by Mumbai Indians for a hefty INR 15.25 crore in the 2022 mega auction, is no stranger to commanding top dollar. With teams like Punjab Kings, who have retained only two players and boast the largest remaining purse of INR 110.50 crore, also expected to bid aggressively, the competition for Kishan could heat up.
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Punjab, having released several key players, is rumoured to target Rishabh Pant but might pivot to Kishan if Pant remains out of reach. With his aggressive batting style and versatility, Ishan Kishan is poised to become one of the most sought-after players in the IPL 2025 auction. Both DC and Punjab Kings could potentially build their squads around him, making the auction a thrilling spectacle.
