The mega auction of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 is looming on the horizon. The marquee event is all set to take place on November 24 and 25 in Jeddah and will see some of the best players in world cricket come forth as the ten franchises hope to rope them in.
One of the players who will be sought after would be Australia’s pace spearhead, Mitchell Starc. The 34-year-old broke the record as he became the costliest player in IPL history after Kolkata Knight Riders roped him in for INR 24.75 crore in 2024 auctions. However, he was not retained ahead of the IPL 2025 and will once again feature in the auction pool.
Mitchell Starc has been the game changer for the Kolkata Knight Riders in the 2024 edition where the team clinched the title. In 2024 he took 17 wickets, 20 wicktes in 2015 and 14 wickets in 2014 editon. He has played 41 matches in the Indian Premier League with a total of 51 wickets in his account.
Let us have a look at five teams that might target Mitchell Starc in the IPL 2025:
5. Punjab Kings
Still looking for their first IPL title, Punjab Kings could be a franchise that could go after Mitchell Starc in the upcoming IPL mega auction. With just two retentions ahead of the auction, PBKS have the biggest purse out of every franchise at INR 110.5 crore.
The franchise retained Shashank Singh and Prabhsimran Singh and let go of every other player. With the IPL title still eluding the franchise, a player like Starc could go a long way for the side.
Seeing Mitchell Starc’s price in the previous IPL auction, Starc could once again fetch a big price in the upcoming mega auction, and looking to rebuild their team from scratch, Punjab Kings could go after Starc and add a star performer in their arsenal.
Also Check: 3 Players who could lead PBKS in IPL 2025 after Shikhar Dhawan
4. Royal Challengers Bengaluru
It could prove to be a homecoming of his dreams for Mitchell Starc if Royal Challengers Bengaluru rope him in IPL mega auction. It is worth noting that Starc had played for RCB in the IPL 2014 and 2015, and with the side’s recent woes in the bowling department, Starc’s potential addition could go a long way for the side.
Ahead of the IPL mega auction, Royal Challengers Bengaluru announced three retentions in Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar, and Yash Dayal. The side will have INR 83 crore left with them in the auction, which would be more than enough to secure Starc’s services.
In the previous season of the IPL, Starc took 17 wickets out of the 14 matches that he played as Kolkata Knight Riders went on to win their third IPL title. RCB could enter the field for Starc and give him a proper homecoming in the IPL 2025.
3. Gujarat Titans
The IPL 2022 champions Gujarat Titans retained five players ahead of the mega auction. However, much to the fans’ surprise, none of the five retained players were fast bowlers. The side let go of the likes of Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav, Spencer Johnson, Josh Little, Mohit Sharma, and Darshan Nalkande.
Furthermore, with the five retentions, Titans will have a sizable purse of INR 69 crore, and with the number of pacers that they have let go of, Mitchell Starc could be an excellent addition to the one-time champions’ lineup.
Titans could hope to rope in Starc, have him spearhead the bowling attack, make some sizable purchases, and build a core around the ace Australia pacer.
Also Check: IPL 2025: 5 Players who earned more than 5 crore last year but might go for their base price this year
2. Delhi Capitals
Looking for their first IPL title, Delhi Capitals could be another side that could have Mitchell Starc on their radar. Ahead of the auction, Capitals retained Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Tristan Stubbs, and Abhishek Porel. With two spinners and no pacers in their retention, Capitals could be another suitable home for Starc.
Ahead of the auction, Capitals have a remaining purse of INR 73 crore, and they will hope that they can bring Starc into their ranks. With no pacer in their side and an IPL title eluding them, Starc could spearhead Capitals’ pace attack as well.
It is worth noting that Capitals let go of Mukesh Kumar, Anrich Nortje, and several more pacers after a subpar season in the IPL 2024. The side will hope that the potential addition of Starc could go a long way for them.
1. Lucknow Super Giants
Lucknow Super Giants could be a surprising place for Mitchell Starc to land in. LSG made five retentions ahead of the auction, retaining Nicholas Pooran, Ravi Bishnoi, Mayank Yadav, Mohsin Khan, and Ayush Badoni. With two relatively inexperienced pacers in their side, Mitchell Starc’s potential addition could help LSG nurture the other pacers in their arsenal.
In the auction, the franchise will have a total purse of INR 69 crore, and they will hope that they can secure Starc’s services as they continue to strive for their very first IPL title. Ever since their inception in 2022, LSG have reached the IPL playoffs in 2022 and 2023. However, the side failed to reach the knockout stages of the tournament in 2024, and they will hope to improve.
