Former Indian cricketer Robin Uthappa reveals his prediction about the five talented wicketkeepers having the maximum chances to grab the highest bids during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 mega auction. Especially teams having a higher purse such as Punjab Kings (PBKS) with INR 110.5 crores and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) with INR 83 crores would be keen to invest a massive sum of money to secure the services of a wicketkeeper-batsman.
The 2-day bidding event is a valuable opportunity for all teams to strengthen their squads, the main focus will be on acquiring top wicketkeepers having the ability to perform dual roles consistently.
In the modern era of IPL, franchises are ready to pay huge paychecks to retain the quality services of a wicketkeeper-batter. Ahead of the auction, the retention list submitted on October 31 included these five retained wicketkeepers for massive payouts:
- Heinrich Klaasen (INR 23 crores):Sunrisers Hyderabad
- Nicholas Pooran (INR 21 crores): Lucknow Super Giants
- Sanju Samson (INR 18 crores): Rajasthan Royals
- Dhruv Jurel (INR 14 crores): Rajasthan Royals
In his recent discussion with Star Sports, Uthappa named these players as the probable five most expensive wicketkeepers during the auction:
- Rishabh Pant
- Quinton de Kock
- KL Rahul
- Jos Buttler
- Phil Salt.
But, the conversation included a detailed explanation about Pant and Rahul. Surprisingly, Ishan Kishan wasn’t preferred by Robin in the predicted list of potential keepers.
As the mega auction is set to commence soon, let’s find out Robin Uthappa’s opinion that boosted all cricket fans’ excitement to a super high level.
Rishabh Pant Might Get INR 25 Crores to INR 28 Crores: Robin Uthappa’s Analysis
Highlighting the Indian left-handed batsman and wicketkeeper’s talent, Robin Uthappa feels that Rishabh Pant could be the leading contender compared to other players to become the costliest wicketkeeper with an estimated price range of INR 25 to 28 crores. If such happens, then Pant would surpass Mitchell Starc’s record by becoming the most expensive player in IPL history.
Here is what Uthappa said: “Possibly! Pant, Rahul, de Kock, Salt, and Buttler. How much can you expect? I would prefer between INR 25 to 28 crores. Moreover, I am confident that he (Rishabh Pant) would fetch such hefty payouts from multiple franchises. Based on my opinion, he could become the highest-paid cricketer in the forthcoming auction,” the former Indian batsman said.
Furthermore, Robin Uthappa predicted that teams such as Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru might spend extravagant bucks to acquire Pant:
“Certainly! At present couple of teams are willing to spend so much on a wicketkeeper which is not an easy choice. I would expect Punjab would enter the scene or Bengaluru to a certain level. Both these teams are searching for a player to fit into the multiple roles of a wicketkeeper, batsman, and captain. As Pant likes to lead behind the stumps, he is expected to play a crucial role for RCB,” Robin Uthappa added.
Pant was released ahead of the auction despite being the highest run scorer for Delhi Capitals (DC) in the previous season of IPL 2024, scoring 446 runs in 13 innings at a strike rate of 155.40.
RCB to be the Leading Contender to Acquire KL Rahul: Robin’s Next Prediction
Robin Uthappa said that KL Rahul could be the primary choice for RCB although other franchises such as Delhi Capitals (DC) and Gujarat Titans (GT) would be keen to acquire the services of the 32-year-old wicketkeeper-batter:
“Yeah! I believe RCB would stand out as the top contender to invite KL Rahul into their squad. At the same time, there are possibilities that he might not prefer going back to the same team. I cannot assure CSK because they have a captain and a wicketkeeper. Maybe Gujarat Titans or Delhi Capitals would be interested in appointing KL as the team’s next captain. His proven leadership skills make him a suitable candidate for that role,” Robin said.
Robin Uthappa Denies Aakash Chopra’s Suggestion: No Ishan Kishan in the List
Aakash Chopra predicted Ishan Kishan’s probability of being acquired by franchises for INR 16 to 18 crores, but Robin Uthappa clarified that such hefty prices would be based only on chances and not performance:
“Not Possible! It would be a shocking moment for me if Ishan Kishan is sold for INR 16 to 18 crores. Suppose, he grabs such lucrative offers, it would be purely based on chance rather than performance. I believe that someone must closely work with him and if Ishan shows progress in batting skills, he can deserve that amount,” Robin Uthappa said.
Conclusion:
In the previous season of IPL 2024, Ishan Kishan scored just 320 runs in 14 innings, whereas KL Rahul scored 520 runs in 14 innings. In comparison, Ishan’s strike rate of 148.83 as an opening batter was much better than Rahul’s 136.12 strike rate. Overall, the entire cricket world is eager to experience the sensational moments in a dynamic-paced IPL 2025 mega auction
