IPL 2025 Auction: Five Kerala Cricket League players to keep an Eye On

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The forthcoming IPL 2025 auction is set to revamp the squad of all ten teams. The mega auction will be a two-day affair on November 24 and 25 and is set to take place in Riyadh.

As the impending extravaganza is less than three weeks away, the teams have already started their planning for the next cycle. After the retention list announcement, 1574 players have registered for the mega auction.

Along with big Indian names such as Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer - who are set to be in the auction, uncapped Indian players across the country are set to play a big part. With the ever-increasing T20 franchise leagues in India, a lot of emerging players from such leagues will be on the franchise's radar.

Although leagues such as TNPL, and Karnataka Maharaja have gained prominence, 2024 saw the birth of the Kerala Cricket League. The six-team tournament of Kerala saw some nail-biting action and some of the names in the tournament may garner bids in the auction.

Among the Kerala players, only Sanju Samson has been retained by Rajasthan Royals. Samson captains the Royals and will continue for them after a retention sum of Rs 18 crore. Sachin Baby, the Kerala captain is also another known face in IPL who may have find a team in the auction again.

But a few more Kerala players are tipped to find a suitor in the auction this year. Here are some of the players from KCL to keep an eye on-

Vishnu Vinod

Vishnu Vinod has been part of IPL in the past but never got many opportunities. He has only played 6 matches in IPL and was released by Mumbai Indians ahead of the auction. But the Kerala batter had an outstanding KCL season, where he scored 438 runs at a strike rate of 192. He also hit 38 sixes in the tournament, the most in the season. The 30-year-old possesses the talent to succeed at the highest level and will be in the wishlist of some teams in the mega auction.

Salman Nizar

Playing for the Calicut Globstars, Salman Nizar's rise has been excellent in the inaugural Kerala Cricket League. The Thalassery-born batter ignited the KCL with his excellent batting, one of which saw him chasing down 23 runs in the final over. He amassed 431 runs in the tournament, which also earned him a spot in the Kerala Ranji team this season. And the southpaw has made an impressive start to his first-class career as well, scoring an unbeaten 95 against Bengal. Nizar has the ability to play both as an anchor and a dasher, which can make him an interesting option for franchises. Hence the southpaw is definitely one to watch in the mega auction.

Mohammed Azharuddeen

Mohammed Azharuddeen was part of the RCB squad a couple of years ago but never got an opportunity. He played for Alleppy Ripples in the KCL and scored 410 runs with a strike rate of 150. Azhar's wicketkeeping ability adds to his batting prowess and teams may look to rope him in, primarily as a squad player. The 30-year-old has also tweaked some of his batting approaches which have so far been beneficial for him, as the Kerala batter has already racked up one half-century in the Ranji Trophy this season.

Akhil Scaria

Akhil Scaria's brilliant bowling performance was pivotal in Calicut Globstar's title-winning inaugural season. The 26-year-old pacer was excellent in the KCL, scalping 24 wickets in the process. His wicket-taking ability in the T20 format is an enticing factor, which couples with the batting ability. Scaria can use the long handle pretty well down the order and score some important runs for the team.

Abdul Bazith

Abdul Bazith showcased his might in the KCL for Trivandrum Royals. The 26-year-old has played 1 match in the IPL with Rajasthan Royals, and after a strong KCL performance, will be hoping for a return to the cash-rich league. Bazith took 13 wickets with his off-spin and also managed to score two fifties with the bat. His ability to hit sixes with ease and a knack for getting crucial breakthroughs may keep him in the scout books ahead of the auction.