The Indian Premier League (IPL) auction ahead of the 2025 edition saw 182 players picked across 10 teams, with Rishabh Pant becoming the most expensive player in the league’s history at the Abady Al-Johar Arena in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
However, surprisingly, some regular faces who have participated in the IPL over the past few seasons went unsold during the two-day session. Some players were affected by high base prices, being overlooked as teams scrambled to complete their squads towards the end of Day 2. A few other regulars, who weren’t considered specialists in the shortest format of the game, were also ignored.
Here are the top five most surprising unsold players from the IPL 2025 auction:
David Warner
One of the all-time great openers in IPL history, David Warner retired from international cricket earlier this year but continues to play in T20 leagues around the world. The New South Wales batter went unsold in the IPL auction, despite being recalled once towards the end.
Shardul Thakur
From being an all-format player for India to now finding himself without an IPL contract, Shardul Thakur has had a tough couple of years. The Mumbai pacer was benched for most of Chennai Super Kings’ games last season, and despite his ability with the bat, teams chose to look elsewhere in the auction pool.
Mayank Agarawal
Mayank Agarwal may not fit the typical mold of a modern T20 opener, but the Karnataka captain has had several excellent seasons in the competition. With experienced Indian batters being a rare commodity, many expected Mayank to be picked up as at least a backup opener.
Kane Williamson
Another batter who has been labeled too conventional for the T20 game, Kane Williamson finds himself without a team for IPL 2025. The former Sunrisers Hyderabad captain, who last represented the Gujarat Titans, has been plagued by injuries since.
Jonny Bairstow
England’s Jonny Bairstow formed a destructive opening partnership with David Warner during their time at Sunrisers Hyderabad. However, since his move to Punjab Kings, the Yorkshire batter has struggled with consistency. Despite his lack of form, Bairstow’s ability to keep wickets would have been an added advantage for teams, but they opted not to go down that route, leaving the player unsold.
