Ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 mega auction, the teams are strategizing to strengthen their squads. One of the key focuses for franchises is securing experienced Indian fast bowlers including Mohammed Siraj.
Having been surprisingly released by Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), Siraj is expected to spark intense bidding wars in the auction. With 93 wickets in 93 IPL matches and an economy rate of 8.65, Siraj combines experience and skill.
3 teams that may bid for Mohammed Siraj in IPL 2025 auction
Here are three IPL teams that may target Mohammed Siraj in the 2025 auction:
- Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB)
Despite releasing him, RCB might still want Mohammed Siraj back in their fold. Siraj has been a mainstay of their bowling attack since 2018 and even delivered his best IPL performance in 2023, scalping 19 wickets.
The franchise could utilize the Right to Match (RTM) option to reacquire him, given his familiarity with the Chinnaswamy Stadium and his role as a dependable pacer.
Siraj’s return could provide stability and leadership to RCB’s pace unit, which could be crucial for their 2025 campaign.
- Lucknow Super Giants (LSG)
Lucknow Super Giants have young Indian pacers like Mayank Yadav and Mohsin Khan, but both have faced challenges with consistency and fitness. This creates a gap that Mohammed Siraj could fill effectively.
Siraj brings invaluable international experience and a solid IPL track record, making him an ideal fit for LSG. His ability to guide young bowlers like Mayank and Mohsin could further enhance the team’s overall performance.
With LSG needing a seasoned Indian pacer to spearhead their attack, Siraj’s inclusion could significantly boost their chances in the upcoming season.
- Gujarat Titans (GT)
The Gujarat Titans, one of the recently joined IPL teams, are in dire need of quality fast bowlers after releasing several key pacers, including Mohammed Shami and Mohit Sharma. While the team might use the RTM option for some of their former players, they will still need to add depth to their bowling lineup.
Siraj, with his versatility and experience, fits the bill perfectly. Additionally, his prior association with Gujarat Titans’ coach Ashish Nehra during their time at RCB could give the team an edge in understanding and utilizing his strengths. Pairing Siraj with a bowler like Shami could create a formidable pace attack for the Titans.
Though, it is not clear who will bag Mohammed Siraj, the IPL 2025 auction is set to witness intense competition for the bowler with proven IPL credentials and international acclaim.
574 players set to be featured
On Friday, the IPL issued the highly-anticipated Player Auction List for the 2025 edition with a total of 574 players set to be featured in the Mega Auction in Saudi Arabia.
Out of the 574 players on the auction list, 366 are Indian and 208 from overseas aspirants, including three players from Associate Nations. The auction will include 318 Indian uncapped players and 12 uncapped overseas players.
In all, 204 slots will be up for grabs with 70 slots available for overseas players, Jay Shah, secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) informed on behalf of the IPL on Friday.
According to the BCCI statement, INR 2 crore is the highest reserve price with 81 players opting to be in the highest bracket. There are 27 players with a reserve price of INR 1.50 crore each while 18 players will go into the mega auction with a reserve price of INR 1.25 crore.
The IPL teams have retained a total of 46 players, investing a cumulative INR 558.5 crore. Defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders and inaugural season’s winner Rajasthan Royals had opted for full retentions, securing six players each. Five teams—Chennai Super Kings, Gujarat Titans, Lucknow Super Giants, Mumbai Indians, and Sunrisers Hyderabad—have retained five players. Meanwhile, Delhi Capitals, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, and Punjab Kings (PBKS) have retained four, three, and two players, respectively.
Mega IPL auction for the 2025 edition of the tournament will be held over two days on November 24 and 25 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
