IPL 2025 mega auction: RCB splash cash for Phil Salt and Jitesh Sharma and Hazlewood 

IPL 2025 mega auction: The Royal Challengers woke up from their slumber to splash the cash on two wicketkeepers, Phil Salt, Jitesh Sharma and Australian pacer Josh Hazlewood.

In Short

• RCB acquired the services of Phil Salt for Rs 11.50 crore
• Jitesh Sharma was sold for Rs 11 crore to Bengaluru
• Josh Hazlewood returned to RCB for Rs 12.50 crore

The Royal Challengers Bengaluru finally decided to take charge and bring in some good players into the team as they started bidding in IPL 2025 mega auction. The franchise splashed the cash for two wicketkeeper-batters in the auction being held at Jeddah on November 24, Sunday. RCB managed to acquire the services of England's wicketkeeper batter, Phil Salt and Jitesh Sharma, and soon after got Australian pacer Josh Hazlewood in their team.

The franchise faced immense criticism when they did not bid for many star players available in the auction pool despite having a hefty purse of Rs 83 crore. RCB engaged in a bidding war with the Kolkata Knight Riders to get Salt in their team. Eventually, KKR, who were low on purse had to give up and the ICC's No. 1 ranked T20I batter, Phil Salt, was sold to RCB for Rs 11.50 crore. Salt had a memorable season with KKR in their IPL title-winning campaign as he scored 435 runs in 12 matches at a staggering strike-rate of 182.01.

RCB went on to have another wicketkeeper in their ranks when they bought Jitesh Sharma for Rs 11 crore. Jitesh was at a base price of Rs 1 crore and after Chennai, Lucknow and Delhi bid for him, RCB joined in at Rs 4.6 crore. Jitesh could have been sold for Rs 7 crore to RCB but PBKS opted to use their Right to Match. Keen to have an explosive middle-order batter in their ranks, RCB shelled out Rs 11 crore on him.

The franchise, in their bid to build a strong team from scratch, went on to splash Rs 12.50 on Josh Hazlewood. RCB joined the bidding war at Rs 7.20 crore and managed to beat the Mumbai Indians to have Hazlewood back in the team.

IPL 2025 mega auction: Live updates

RCB aim to build strong squad

RCB raised a few eyebrows with their calls in the first two rounds of the auction as they did not opt to use the Right to Match card for either Mohammed Siraj or Glenn Maxwell.