IPL 2025 mega auction: 3 players whom Punjab Kings can target to rope in as captains

Punjab Kings finished ninth in the points table in IPL 2024.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 mega auction will take place on November 24 and 25 in Saudi Arabia. This is the second consecutive time that the IPL auction is being held outside India; last year, it was in Dubai.

The franchise that will certainly be the most active one at the mega auction will be Punjab Kings (PBKS), as has been the case over the past many years.

Once again Punjab have gone for an almost complete revamp. Ahead of the mega auction, they have retained only two players, both uncapped: Shashank Singh (INR 5.5 crores) and Prabhsimran Singh (INR 4 crores). They will head into the mega auction with the largest purse of INR 110.5 crores and will need to buy at least 16 more players and can buy a maximum of 23 more players.

The first aim for them would be to secure a new skipper in the mega auction. Last season, Punjab Kings managed only five wins in 14 games and finished in the ninth position. They were initially led by Shikhar Dhawan, who played five matches and then was sidelined due to an injury, handing the duties to Sam Curran, while Jitesh Sharma also led them in one game.

Punjab have lacked continuity and stability in their captains throughout the IPL. They have had a total of 16 different men leading them in 17 IPL seasons. Only two captains have led them in more than 30 matches.

There will be a few strong captaincy choices available at the upcoming IPL 2025 mega auction and Punjab would be shelling out a huge chunk of their purse on at least one of them.

Three players whom Punjab Kings can target to rope in as captains in the IPL 2025 mega auction:

1. Rishabh Pant

Rishabh Pant is set to be the hottest Indian commodity at the mega auction. Pant and Delhi Capitals (DC) ended their long-term association.

Pant had been with the Delhi-based franchise since 2016 and played all his career there. He led them to the top spot in the points table in IPL 2021, but couldn’t take them to the final that season. Last season, Pant’s DC sixth and missed the playoff spot on net run rate.

Pant captained Delhi in 43 IPL matches, winning 23 and losing 19 of them, while one other match went into Super Over.

Being an explosive middle-order batsman, a keeper, and a captain, Pant is expected to attract bids of more than INR 15 crores. Punjab Kings could be the franchise who goes all the way for Pant.

2. Shreyas Iyer

Shreyas Iyer and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have surprisingly parted ways. Iyer led KKR to their third IPL title in IPL 2024, yet the Mumbai cricketer will now go under the hammer. Venky Mysore, KKR’s CEO, revealed that Iyer wanted to test his market value while the franchise wanted to retain him.

Before leading KKR to the title, Iyer captained DC to the runners-up finish in IPL 2020. He has been leading in the IPL since 2018. Iyer had captained DC and KKR in 70 IPL matches, out of which his side won 38 games, lost 29 and two were tied.

PBKS might go for the Indian national as he is a quality middle-order batsman and also a successful captain.

3. Jos Buttler

One of the biggest overseas names available at the mega auction will be Jos Buttler. The England star was released by Rajasthan Royals, for whom he played since IPL 2018.

One of the most destructive white-ball batsmen in the world, Buttler captained England to the T20 World Cup 2022 triumph in Australia. Earlier this year, England reached the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup 2024 where they got knocked out by the eventual champions India.

Punjab have had several overseas captains in the past. In fact, it seems that their overseas leaders brought stability and success. Only two captains have led PBKS in more than 30 IPL matches – Adam Gilchrist and George Bailey, under whom they reached their only IPL final in 2014.

A strong captaincy option that Punjab can target is Jos Buttler, who also they could purchase at a lesser price compared to Pant.

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