DRS Nov 24: Rishabh Pant to PBKS for Rs 33 cr, RCB signal KL Rahul, Siraj & Hardik Pandya-Shreyas Iyer present!

We. Are. Finally. Here. The IPL 2025 mega auction is just touching distance from us as the likes of Rishabh Pant, Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul are ready to go under the hammer. Both Pant and Rahul infact would be together in Perth after the end of third day’s play. As for the first two days, Team India are purely on top of the hosts. KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal have put up an opening stand to remember to send the hosts packing. It would take something outlandish for India not to win this game. Apart from this, Saturday, November 23 also saw the commencement of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT). In the domestic tourney, several Indian top talents, namely Hardik Pandya, Sanju Samson, Tilak Varma and even Shreyas Iyer didn’t fail to impress. On that note, let us look at top six cricketing stories from November 23.

Rishabh Pant for Rs 33 crore to PBKS?

Rishabh Pant was the most expensive player in JioCinema’s “Mega Auction War Room”, going to Punjab Kings (PBKS) for a record-breaking ₹33 crore. This is the third mock auction where Pant has been the most expensive player. PBKS also bagged Jos Buttler and used a Right-to-Match (RTM) card for Arshdeep Singh. Pant’s high price tag is no surprise, given his impressive IPL record and high demand among teams. It looks like, with Rs 110.50 cr in their kitty, PBKS would go all in for Pant in the actual IPL 2025 auction.

Hardik Pandya: The Best All-rounder!

Hardik Pandya delivered a stellar performance in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT), justifying his status as the world’s No. 1 T20I all-rounder. Against Gujarat, he took 1/37 in 4 overs and then smashed 74 off 35 deliveries, including 6 fours and 5 sixes, at a strike rate of over 211. His impressive display helped his team chase down 185, with Pandya single-handedly shining.

RCB sign KL Rahul and Siraj?

A mock IPL auction organized by Jio Cinema saw Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) spend a whopping Rs 44 crore to sign KL Rahul and Mohammed Siraj. KL Rahul was bid up to Rs 29 crore by Delhi Capitals before RCB secured him for nearly Rs 30 crore. Siraj, who was surprisingly released by RCB, was initially bought by CSK for Rs 12.50 crore, but RCB used their Right-to-Match (RTM) card to re-sign him for Rs 14.50 crore. The mock auction gave a glimpse into the possible bidding wars at the upcoming IPL 2025 mega auction in Jeddah.

KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal: Take a bow!

KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal produced a masterclass in Test match opening batting on Day 2 at Perth, remaining unbeaten at stumps with a historic partnership of 172 runs. The pair showed exceptional technique and temperament, becoming the first Indian opening duo since Sehwag and Aakash Chopra in 2004 to score a century partnership in Australia. They navigated the challenging conditions expertly, leaving balls outside off-stump and rotating strike efficiently. Despite Australia’s varied tactics, including short-ball ploys, both batters remained resolute. Their partnership helped India build on their first-innings lead of 46, extending it to 218 runs by the end of day’s play.

Ishan Kishan goes to DC at IPL Auction but ‘mock’.

In a mock IPL 2025 auction, Ishan Kishan was bought by the Delhi Capitals (DC) for Rs 15.50 crore, just Rs 25 lakh more than his 2022 price. DC, represented by Aakash Chopra, outbid Mumbai Indians (MI) and Gujarat Titans (GT) to secure Kishan’s services. Meanwhile, Washington Sundar was bought by Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) for Rs 12.50 crore, with LSG outbidding DC and Sunrisers Hyderabad.

Shreyas Iyer breathes fire!

Shreyas Iyer’s masterful 130* off just 57 balls in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy showcased why he could be one of the hottest properties at the IPL 2025 mega auction. Despite being dropped three times, his innings was a perfect display of modern T20 batting, featuring 11 fours and 10 sixes against both pace and spin. What stands out is his ability to convert good length deliveries into sixes, a skill particularly valuable in the IPL where bowlers often default to ‘safe’ lengths. His strike rate of 228.07 in this innings, coupled with his experience as a former IPL captain with KKR and DC, could drive his price significantly higher in the auction.