The former Indian middle-order batter, Mohammad Kaif, has processed an imaginary auction in the Indian Premier League (IPL) where he highlighted the potential highest price between Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Jasprit Bumrah. It’s an interesting debate among the fans on which superstar could bag a huge price for the event.

Kaif reckoned that Jasprit Bumrah would have earned the highest price for the IPL auction. The right-arm pacer is currently the sixth leading wicket-taker of the tournament with 183 wickets in 145 innings at an average of 22.02, a strike rate of 18.23, and an economy rate of 7.24, thanks to three four-wicket and a couple of five-wicket hauls.

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“Among the three, Jasprit Bumrah would get the most money. Bumrah will get a lot of money because a bowler like Bumrah comes once in a generation. The kind of work he does for his team is exceptional. Virat the batter, maybe you can find others like him, but Virat the brand, that continues. Nowadays, Virat the brand carries immense value.” Kaif expressed in a video on his YouTube channel.

Mohammad Kaif predicts Jasprit Bumrah to earn highest IPL price in imaginary auction

Kohli is the leading run-getter of the IPL with 8661 runs in 259 innings at an average of nearly 40 and a strike rate of 132.85 with 62 fifties and eight centuries, while Rohit has collected 7046 runs at a strike rate of 132.09, thanks to 47 half-centuries and two centuries.

“See, whichever franchise joins the IPL or buys a team, they come to do business. They have invested money, so they want to earn money. It’s simple. They haven’t come here to do anyone a favor or to groom players; all that is nonsense. They are here to do business.” Kaif noted in the video.  

“So, Virat the brand has huge value because of that, and that’s why franchises want him. Their people would love to have Kohli with them. But if you ask who the biggest match-winner is among them, I would put Bumrah far ahead of Virat.” India’s former batter addressed.

The auction for the 2026 season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is likely to happen on December 15, according to the reports of the Times of India (TOI). The previous two auctions of the tournament were held in Dubai in 2023, while in Jeddah, the 2024 auction took place. This time, the mini-auction could occur in India, even though the official decision has not been taken yet.

The deadline for the retention of the IPL franchises will be November 15, which is the scheduled second day of the opening Test between India and South Africa at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. Meanwhile, the Women’s Premier League (WPL) auction is set to take place on November 07 in Delhi. This will be the first mega auction of the WPL since the first auction before the first season of the league.

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There is no confirmed news on the trading, but reports have sparked controversy on the possible transformation between Sanju Samson and Ravindra Jadeja for the Chennai Super Kings and the Rajasthan Royals. It has also been informed that the Royals are keen to sign Dewald Brevis along with Jadeja.

IPL 2026 auction likely to take place on December 15 in India

India’s Women’s ODI World Cup 2025 winning captain, Harmanpreet Kaur, their opening batter- Smriti Mandhana, their semifinal star- Jemimah Rodrigues, and the star of the final- Shafali Varma, have been retained by the WPL franchises ahead of the mega auction for the Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, and Delhi Capitals.

On the other hand, the UP Warriorz have released the all-rounder Deepti Sharma, who took a staggering 22 wickets in nine games at an average of around 20 and scored 215 runs at 30,71 with three fifties, and was also the player of the Tournament for the World Cup. But the franchise could use the right-to-match card for Deepti.

The Gujarat Giants have retained Australia legends- Ashleigh Gardner and Beth Mooney, while the Bengaluru side has retained Mandhana, Ellyse Perry, Richa Ghosh, and Shreyanka Patil. Australia’s Ian Healy and Meg Lanning, along with all-rounder Amelia Kerr, are set to enter the auction pool.

The Kolkata Knight Riders’ co-owner and the Bollywood superstar, Shah Rukh Khan, has extended his support to the recently retired Indian player, Cheteshwar Pujara, during the latter’s serious knee injury in 2010, arranging for his surgery in Cape Town after the right-handed batter tore his cruciate ligament before featuring in a single game for the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise. 

The injury occurred during a net session when Cheteshwar Pujara injured himself while attempting a catch, resulting in a ruptured ACL that derailed his career. Puja, wife of Pujara, looked back at the incident in her book, The Diary of a Cricketer’s Wife, where she recalled how SRK helped Pujara massively during that tough period.

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“Destiny impelled him to dash heedlessly to a ball for a catch that was never there; and the result: a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament, an impending surgery, and a temporarily halted cricketing career — all without playing a single game for KKR.” She wrote in her book as the KKR franchise took the full responsibility for Pujara’s treatment.

Cheteshwar Pujara’s wife reveals story of how Shah Rukh Khan saved veteran’s career

Pujara retired from international cricket with 7195 runs in 176 innings at an average of 43.60 with the help of 19 centuries and 35 half-centuries at the best score of unbeaten 206 runs. Pujara didn’t get a huge success in the IPL with 390 runs in 22 innings at 20.52 with a lone fifty.

“Shah Rukh also told me that Chintu had a great future ahead of him and should have the best available medical treatment. When he realised I was worried about the absence of a support system in South Africa and my faith in Dr Shah’s abilities, he offered to fly him and any family members I wanted with me.” Pujara’s wife addressed.

In that opening season of the IPL for Pujara in 2009/10, he drilled 122 runs in six innings at a strike rate of 106.08. Overall, he has clubbed 1556 runs in 63 T20 innings at a strike rate of 112.18 with nine fifties and one century.

Virat Kohli is the only player in the history of the Indian Premier League (IPL) to feature for one franchise since the start of the tournament. This unparalleled Franchise Loyalty makes him the ultimate One-Team Player.

The right-handed batter, who is the All-time Leading Scorer of the IPL with the help of 8661 runs... at a Career Average of 39.54 and a Strike Rate Metric of 132.85, scoring 63 half-centuries and eight centuries... kept playing for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) from the Inaugural IPL Season (2008).

Kohli’s breakout season in the IPL for the RCB side came in 2011 when he drilled 557 runs in 16 innings at an average of 46.41 and a strike rate of 121.08 with four fifties, showcasing his early batting consistency.

However, his best edition overall in the league came in 2016 when he collected an unprecedented tally of 973 runs in 16 innings at an average of 81.08 and a strike rate of 152.03, thanks to seven fifties and four centuries, securing the IPL Orange Cap and setting one of the greatest IPL Single Season Records.

See Also: Virat Kohli Birthday special photos, WhatsApp dp, and status

“There are great people and then there are people who are the heartbeat of a nation! Virat Kohli hasn’t just represented India. He is the face of cricket. He didn’t just wear the jersey; he gave it a meaning, a purpose.” The video was released by the franchise on Kohli.

Watch Now: RCB Honors Virat Kohli's 37th Birthday with Special Video

Kohli kept trying with the bat to win the IPL for the Bengaluru side, and he finally secured their Maiden IPL Title in 2025. He achieved this RCB Championship Victory by smashing an impressive run tally of 657 runs in 15 innings at an average of 54.75 and a strike rate of 144.71 with eight fifties at the best score of 73*.

Apart from 2022, his remarkable IPL Consistency is highlighted by crossing the 400-run mark in every IPL season since 2018, demonstrating his sustained high-level T20 Batting Form.

He’s the reason why cricket feels personal! He’s not just a great cricketer, he’s a phenomenon. ❤️ 🫡

🎥 A little tribute to Virat Kohli, who conquered it all and became the undisputed king of cricket. 👑🙇🏼‍♂️#HappyBirthdayViratKohli #PlayBold #ನಮ್ಮRCB pic.twitter.com/wpEe0A3Ntp

— Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@RCBTweets) November 5, 2025

“When we finally won the IPL and Virat’s tears flowed, it wasn’t just his emotion. Didn’t it feel like it was ours too? Because we weren’t just watching a cricketer. We were watching someone who carried belief longer than most people carry dreams.” The video from RCB was posted on X (formerly known as Twitter).

Apart from the IPL success, Kohli is the second leading run-getter in ODI cricket behind Sachin Tendulkar. He has smashed 14255 runs in 293 innings at an average of 57.71 and a strike rate of 93.26 with 75 fifties and 51 centuries at the best score of 183 runs.

Frequently Asked Questions 

Which player is the only one to play for a single IPL franchise since the tournament's start?

Virat Kohli is the only player in IPL history to feature for one franchise, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), since the inaugural season in 2008.

In which year did Virat Kohli lead RCB to their first-ever IPL title?

Virat Kohli secured Royal Challengers Bengaluru's maiden IPL title in 2025, scoring an impressive 657 runs in the season.

What is Virat Kohli's record for the most runs scored in a single IPL season?

Kohli holds the IPL record for the most runs in a single season, accumulating an unprecedented tally of 973 runs in the 2016 edition.

What is Virat Kohli's all-time leading run total in the IPL?

Virat Kohli is the All-time Leading Scorer of the IPL with a total of 8661 runs as of the end of the 2025 season.

The two most discussed trade rumors of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 are not anticipated to take place. The reports have claimed that Gujarat Titans’ Washington Sundar is not going back to his domestic home for the Chennai Super Kings, while KL Rahul’s potential move to the Kolkata Knight Riders is highly unlikely to happen, even if it’s not dead yet.

The thought of Sundar moving to Chennai flowed through a YouTube video as many believed the Indian spin all-rounder could replace the veteran Ravichandran Ashwin, who retired from the league a few months ago. However, the head coach of the Titans, India's Ashish Nehra, refused to entertain and give life to the thought of trading the Tamil Nadu player.

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Nehra’s decision came the evening after Sundar smashed a fine, undefeated knock of 49 runs against Australia in Hobart as the GT management made it clear that they don’t have any intention of parting with a player they have invested heavily in. Sundar came to GT for INR 3.2 crore at the last mega auction, but he featured in only six IPL games last season.

Washington Sundar to stay in GT; KL Rahul unlikely to sign for KKR

For the wicket-keeper batter, Rahul has always been an open card for the Knight Riders. He will be a massive solution to the side, giving the options of opening batter, captain, and wicket-keeper batter. Both Rahul and Sanju Samson are fit for the role, but the decisions have been made over two premium players.

KKR is not prepared to part with any of their premium assets- Varun Chakravarthy and Rinku Sungh- in exchange for Rahul or Samson. In that case, Rahul is unlikely to move out of the Delhi Capitals. However, there is a contrasting situation between the Rajasthan Royals and Delhi over the trading of Samson.

The Kerala batter has smashed 4704 runs in 172 innings at an average of 30.94 and a strike rate of 139.04 with 26 half-centuries and three centuries. He was part of the Delhi side for two seasons in 2016 and 2017. One of the DC sources through reports claimed that they would have no interest in releasing a marquee player. The final decision on the trade remains with the franchise.

The Kolkata Knight Riders have released a warm video to congratulate their owner and the famous Bollywood actor, Shah Rukh Khan, on his 60th birthday. It has been a great bond between the two sides, with the Knight Riders winning three titles in 2012, 2014, and 2024, as their former captain, Gautam Gambhir, after winning the first two seasons, came back as the mentor.

In the video, Kolkata’s current captain, Ajinkya Rahane, started the video to wish SRK before their all-rounder, Andre Russell, and other Indian players, including Varun Chakravarthy, Rinku Singh, Venkatesh Iyer, and Manish Pandey, joined them in the video.

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“Shah Rukh sir, wish you a very happy birthday.” Ajinkya Rahane starts the video before their premier all-rounder, Andre Russell, joins the video, saying, “legend Shah Rukh Khan, wish you a very happy birthday.” Later, Manish Pandey also wished SRK a very happy birthday along with Varun Chakravarthy, “I have always been a great fan of yours.”

Watch: KKR shares special video wish Shah Rukh Khan on his 60th birthday

Angkrish Raghuvanshi called SRK the best owner, while Rinku Singh stepped forward and hoped to see him come into the IPL every season with his support. “Keep achieving, and we all look up to you.” Said the KKR left-handed batter, Venkatesh Iyer, in the same video released by the franchise.

With love, from the Knights to the King 💌💜 pic.twitter.com/70EqnDU9oz

— KolkataKnightRiders (@KKRiders) November 2, 2025

“Birthday greetings to the brightest star shining in our lives! His success is second only to his humility and grace! Lots of love @iamsrk!!” Gautam Gambhir, the current head coach of the Indian side and the former mentor of the Knight Riders, posted his wish on Twitter (formerly known as Twitter).

Kolkata Knight Riders finished the league stage of the points table at the eighth position. They earned only five victories in 14 games at a net run rate of -0.305. Overall, their campaign was incredibly inconsistent, with only three wins coming in the first eight encounters of the season. They will hope to develop their performance in the next edition, with discussions going around of them signing KL Rahul for IPL 2026.

The Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have earned their maiden Indian Premier League (IPL) trophy in 2025 by beating the Punjab Kings at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. If the parent company, Diageo, decides to sell, up to six parties have shown their interest, even though the parent company could still change its mind at the last minute.

Diageo’s shareholders are not excited about continuing to own an IPL team, which isn’t a core business for the liquor company. The six companies, Adar Poonawala, Parth Jindal’s JSW group, Adani Group, A Delhi-based billionaire with multi-sector interests, and two US-based private equity firms, have shown their wish to buy the franchise.

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In 2010, Cyrus Poonawala tried to buy the IPL team when Lalit Modi expanded the league. He lost to Pune’s Sahara and Kochi’s Rendezvous. There is a surprising factor in the Jindal angle, who has already owned 50% of the Delhi Capitals. If they want to go for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru, then they will have to sell that stake first.

Know six parties that have interest in bying RCB if parent company sells them ahead of IPL 2026

The Adanis have been eyeing an IPL side for years before they nearly got Ahmedabad’s Gujarat Titans in 2022. Diageo wants USD 2 billion for the Bengaluru side, as it depends on the next media rights cycle. The future of the league’s broadcast will hinge on JioStar. If they charge nearly INR 100 per month and have nearly 500M subscribers, the league could generate nearly INR 20000 crore in one season just from the subscriptions.

Over the five years, that’s more than $10B in subscription revenue, along with the $2.5 billion in advertisements. The last cycle’s media rights were worth $6.3 billion, and the bump in the 2027 cycle won’t be unrealistic. That’s what’s keeping the buyers interested, despite the heavy tag. On the other hand, Citi and another private bank have been roped in by Diageo to advise on the sale.

Diageo’s India arm hasn’t been on board yet, and the issue of the post-stampede case during the trophy celebration outside the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru has added another layer of uncertainty. RCB will look to defend their title next year under Patidar’s captaincy as Virat Kohli’s time is coming to an end slowly, also in the franchise tournament.

The Indian Premier League (IPL), which is the best T20 franchise tournament in cricket, was once the most celebrated tournament and has seen a drop in its valuation for the second successive year. In 2025, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) earned the title under the leadership of Rajat Patidar against the Punjab Kings in the final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

A report by the D&P Advisory on October 15, 2025, states that IPL’s ecosystem value has dropped by nearly 11%, declining to $8.8 billion (INR 76100 crore) in 2025 from $9.9 billion (INR 82700 crore) in 2024 and INR 92500 crore in IPL 2023, which was its peak. This could be due to the nationwide ban on real money gaming and the consolidation of media rights.

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The 2025 Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act banned the money-game advertising and sponsorship, which resulted in a loss of nearly INR 1500 to INR 2000 crore in annual ad and sponsorship revenue from the ecosystem of the Indian Premier League (IPL).

IPL 2025’s valuation declines by 11% for second successive year due to ban on real money gaming

The fantasy and gaming platforms have contributed significantly to the revenue for the broadcasters and league partners. Their absence has made a huge gap, which has affected the front t-shirt sponsorships and digital ad inventories. This led to lower advertisement rates and reduced brand spending.

The Women’s Premier League (WPL), just like the Indian Premier League (IPL), has also faced similar issues. Its valuation dropped by 5.6% to INR 1275 crore from INR 1350 crore, amid all the uncertainty after the exit of Dream11 and the impact it brought on the gaming bill. D&P advisory managing partner, Santosh N, however, remains hopeful of the leagues again growing in the future.

The 2025 season of the IPL collected a billion viewers, with digital audiences surpassing television for the very first time. The WPL 2025 season has seen an increase of 150% in TV ratings and 70% growth in digital viewership, along with near-full grounds and travel activity around the fixtures.

The five-time champions of the Indian Premier League, Chennai Super Kings (CSK), didn’t go through a great season in 2025, even in the leadership of their successful leader, MS Dhoni, who took over the responsibility after their first-choice leader, Ruturaj Gaikwad, was ruled out of the season from the third week. For the very first time in history, CSK finished at the bottom of the points table. 

There is speculation on whether Dhoni would make himself available for the new season, having featured in the last IPL edition as an uncapped player for a price of INR 4 crore. However, the reports have claimed that the franchise is going to release several players ahead of the next mini auction, which is expected to be held in the second and third week of December.

See Also: Know details of number of retentions and dates for mega auction of Women's Premier League (WPL) 2025

Among the players reportedly on the release list are Deepak Hooda, Vijay Shankar, Rahul Tripathi, Sam Curran, and Devon Conway. The franchise already has a purse of INR 9.75 crore following the retirement of Ravichandran Ashwin from the league. 

Chennai Super Kings to release Sam Curran and Devon Conway ahead of IPL 2026 auction

The left-arm pace bowling all-rounder of England, Sam Curran, who got back to his old franchise for a price of INR 2.40 crore, smashed 114 runs in five innings at a strike rate of 135.71 with one fifty while picking up just one wicket at an economy rate of over 11. That’s the same case with Conway, who collected only 156 runs in six innings at a strike rate of 131.09 in the previous season.

None of the Indian batters were successful in the middle order for the Super Kings, and that never helped them to gain success against the spinner, which at the end put pressure on their lower order to deliver on every single occasion.

The IPL 2026 auction is expected to be held between December 13 and 15, as the teams are asked to provide their list of retentions by November 15. The last two editions’ auction was held outside India in Dubai (2023) and in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (2024). There is, however, no news on where the upcoming auction will take place.

Just when calls are made to privatize the Big Bash League (BBL), it has been revealed that the World Cup winning Australian captain, Pat Cummins, and his deputy, Travis Head, were offered nearly INR 58 crore ($10 million) a year to feature in the T20 Leagues around the world full time including the Indian Premier League (IPL) as it brings the fear of several early retirements. 

The Sydney Morning Herald reported that an IPL side made the offer this year, to which both Cummins and Travis Head rejected the offer as they cited their commitment to the national side. But the news of offers was discussed between Cricket Australia (CA), the state associations, and the players’ union as they look to privatize their franchise T20 leagues.

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The top Australian players currently earn $1.5 million a year from their national contracts, while for Cummins, the price is $3 million due to his leadership responsibilities. The money from the BBL would increase the player salaries, which would also link the T20 league into a growing network globally.

Pat Cummins and Travis Head reject $10M to leave Australia for T20 leagues

Cummins’ auction value for the Sunrisers Hyderabad last year was around $3.7 million, while Head grabbed $1.2 million at the same team. The latter revealed his views on his SRH teammate, Heinrich Klassen’s decision to retire from international cricket and feature in franchise cricket only.

“I spent a lot of time with Klaasen over a period of time while he was making decisions. I don't think there's any written rule on what you should or shouldn't play or what you should or shouldn't give up. There's an idea of what people should think, and what they should do. Playing international cricket is the pinnacle. A lot of people hold it so high in regard, but some people don't.” Head expressed.

“What's happening in the world at the moment is people have opportunities to make those decisions, which we've never had [before]. So it's hard to knock someone who is making a decision in their own personal state and trying to get job satisfaction. Fair play.” The left-handed batter addressed.