IPL Auction 2025 Date, Timings, and Venue locked in by BCCI

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has reportedly locked in Saudi Arabia as the host country for the highly anticipated IPL 2025 mega auction.

After an extensive search that considered big cities such as Dubai, Singapore, London, and even Vienna, it has been revealed that Riyadh is currently the frontrunner to host the two-day mega auction.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will make the official announcement for the venue for the much-anticipated event within days. It is being said that this decision was made through a calculated and meticulously planned strategy.

IPL 2025 Mega Auction set for Saudi Arabia; Riyadh leads the race

Logistical advantages, along with the strategic value of expanding the tournament's footprint into new regions, have made Saudi Arabia an attractive destination to host the mega auction. Notably, the last auction was held at the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai, UAE, and it was a one-day event.

According to Cricbuzz, the BCCI officials have already visited Saudi Arabia for site inspections as part of their preparations for the IPL 2025 mega auction, with another group of officials expected to leave for the Gulf kingdom on Monday (October 21) for further discussions.

Meanwhile, the mega auction is expected to be held on November 24 and 25, which is set to coincide with India’s first Test match against Australia in Perth from November 22 to 26.

The major issue is that the Australia vs. India Test match will be shown on Disney Star, which is one of the Indian Premier League's official broadcasters, and BCCI wants to ensure there is no overlap.

BCCI set to ensure no potential clash between the mega auction and Perth Test

However, concerns about a potential clash between the auction and the much-awaited Test between Australia and India can also be addressed, as the time difference between the two countries should allow the mega auction to kick off in the afternoon (IST) without disrupting the match broadcast.

On the other hand, the Indian Premier League franchises expressed a preference to host the auction in India, but the BCCI ruled out this option. With that door closed the IPL franchises are now eagerly awaiting the BCCI’s final confirmation over the venue and dates for the mega auction to make travel arrangements.

But first, the franchises will submit their player retention lists by 5 PM on October 31.

Player retention rules in short

Last month, the IPL governing council revealed the player retention rules for the next cycle auction, allowing the franchises to retain a maximum of six players from their previous squads as well as increasing the auction purse to Rs 120 crore.

Notably, the IPL franchises can retain up to 6 players via retention or the Right to Match (RTM) card, with a maximum of 5 capped players, whether Indian or overseas. However, the teams can only retain a maximum of 2 uncapped players.

On the other hand, the Indian players who have not played international cricket or held a central contract in the last five years will be considered uncapped at the IPL 2025 mega auction.