Some of the world's top cricketers will be among 574 players seeking an Indian Premier League (IPL) payday when the lucrative T20 tournament begins its annual auction on Sunday.
No less than 31 South Africans - including Proteas players - will be involved in the two-day bidding frenzy in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, ahead of the IPL season, which is likely to start in March.
IOL Sport looks at five South Africans who could start a bidding war.
Kagiso Rabada
The fast bowler hasn’t played a lot of white-ball cricket since the T20 World Cup final in the West Indies. But he has been in magnificent form in Test cricket, after top displays during South Africa’s run to the final in the Caribbean.
The Challenges 🎯
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The Numbers 📊
The Strategies ♟️
And... sleepless nights 😴![CDATA[]]>💭
It's time for Lights, Camera... Auction‼️💰 pic.twitter.com/7QM9JSh7Sy
Anrich Nortje
The speedster had a tough IPL the previous season after a long injury layoff. However, he had a very good World Cup and is also well rested after taking a break from international cricket with the Proteas.
Keshav Maharaj
South Africa’s premier spinner is doing the business in all formats of the game. Maharaj is currently the second best One-Day International bowler and also enjoyed a very good T20 Cricket World Cup.
David Miller
While Miller struggled in the recent T20 series against India, he still a sought after commodity in the IPL. “Killer Miller” is likely to set off a bidding war after registering for the auction at a base price of $178,000.
Dewald Brevis
Brevis played a few seasons with the Mumbai Indians, but is now a free agent. At his best, the man they call “Baby AB” can be a destructive hitter of the cricket ball. He has recently been in good form domestically, hitting a First-Class century for the Titans.
ɪᴛ’ꜱ ᴀʟᴍᴏꜱᴛ ᴛɪᴍᴇ ꜰᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇ #ᴛᴀᴛᴀɪᴘʟ ᴍᴇɢᴀ ᴀᴜᴄᴛɪᴏɴ 2025 🔨 #TATAIPLAuction pic.twitter.com/TUvPp1L5Uv
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Full list of South Africans in the 2025 IPL Mega Auction
Aiden Markram
Quinton de Kock
Faf Du Plessis
Rilee Rossouw
Rassie Van Der Dussen
Anrich Nortje
Tabraiz Shamsi
Kagiso Rabada
David Miller
Marco Jansen
Gerald Coetzee
Nandre Burger
Ryan Rickelton
Lungisani Ngidi
Wayne Parnell
Donovan Ferreira
Wiaan Mulder
Dwaine Pretorius
Junior Dala
Daryn Dupavillon
Patrick Kruger
Ottneil Baartman
Matthew Breetzke
Kyle Verreynne
Kwena Maphaka
Lizaad Williams
Keshav Maharaj
Nqabayomzi Peter
Dewald Brevis
Corbin Bosch
Duan Jansen
Additional reporting by AFP
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