The IPL 2025 mega auction, held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, saw 182 cricketers sold, with some surprising deals that caught the attention of fans and experts alike. While top earners like Rishabh Pant and Shreyas Iyer secured massive deals, several franchises made shrewd decisions by acquiring players at significantly lower prices. Here, we highlight five of the best “steal deals” from the auction that could prove to be game-changers in the upcoming season.
1. Faf du Plessis – INR 2 Crore (Delhi Capitals)
One of the biggest bargains of the IPL 2025 auction was former South African captain Faf du Plessis, who was bought by Delhi Capitals for just INR 2 crore at his base price. After an illustrious career with Chennai Super Kings and captaining Royal Challengers Bangalore, du Plessis’ IPL experience and leadership qualities will significantly strengthen Delhi’s batting line-up. With 4,571 runs at an average of 35.99 and a strike rate of 136.36, even after retiring from the international setup, Faf has continuously excelled in the franchise leagues all over the world, his consistency at the top order is unmatched, making him an invaluable acquisition for such a low price.