Ranking the 5 worst signings of IPL 2025 Auction ft. Deepak Hooda

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 mega auction concluded after two exciting days where teams went against each other in an intense bidding process to secure key players and build potent squads ahead of the 2025 season.

The franchises were engaged in bidding wars as they broke the bank on many occasions to sign some of the top players to strengthen their squads. The likes of Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant, Venkatesh Iyer, Arshdeep Singh, and Yuzvendra Chahal went for massive money.

The IPL 2025 auction saw several uncapped players being roped in by franchises as well, which comes as a positive sign for the future of the league and Indian cricket.

On the flip side, there were several big names that did not get any attention from the franchises and remained unsold over the two-day extravaganza. While all the teams made some brilliant buys at the auction this time around, there are a few players who the teams may regret buying for a number of reasons.

That said, here is a look at the five worst signings made by franchises at the IPL 2025 Auction.

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Ranking the 5 worst signings of IPL 2025 Auction

#5 Venkatesh Iyer (Kolkata Knight Riders - INR 23.75 Crore)

The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) broke the bank, quite literally, to bring batting all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer back into the team at the auction this time, spending a massive INR 23.75 Crore.

While it can be argued that he put up a decent performance with the bat in IPL 2024, scoring 370 runs from 13 innings with a strike rate of 158.79, it is still questionable whether he is worth the massive price tag.

His contribution with the ball is not significant although he is an all-rounder on paper. Moreover, his performance at the international level (133 runs from seven innings and five wickets from four innings) does not justify the hefty price tag either.

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#4 Deepak Hooda (Chennai Super Kings - INR 1.70 Crore)

The Chennai Super Kings (CSK) roped in all-rounder Deepak Hooda for INR 1.70 Crores. However, it is likely that Hooda may not even get an opportunity to play for the majority of the season.

He has failed to impress in the last two IPL seasons, scoring only 145 runs from nine innings at an average of 18.12 and strike rate of 138.09 in 2024 and just 84 runs in 12 innings in 2023.

Hooda bowled very little in the last two seasons and did not pick up any wickets either. While CSK have built a settled-looking team, it appears difficult for the all-rounder to find a place in the side.

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#3 Arjun Tendulkar (Mumbai Indians - INR 30 Lakh)

As has been the story with Arjun Tendulkar, the Mumbai Indians bought the left-arm pacer once again towards the end of the IPL 2025 auction at his base price. Given the other players bought by the franchise, Arjun does not seem to fit into the side and will most likely warm the bench once again.

Last season, he played just a solitary match for Mumbai where he bowled 2.2 overs and gave away 22 runs without picking up a wicket. Overall, he has played only five IPL matches, picking up three wickets at an average of 38 and an economy rate of 9.36.

His recent performances in the T20 format have not been noteworthy either. While this buy did not dent their purse, it was nothing but a mere formality.

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#2 Abdul Samad (Lucknow Super Giants - INR 4.50 Crore)

Released by the SunRisers Hyderabad, Arjun Samad was bought by the Lucknow Super Giants for INR 4.50 Crore at the auction. In the case of Samad, it can be argued that he comes in as a proven finisher, however, his performance may not justify the price tag as such.

He scored 182 runs from 12 innings last season at a strike rate of 168.51. However, his average of 18.20 remains a concern. Overall in the IPL, Samad has played 40 innings and scored 577 runs with a decent strike rate of 146.07. However, his average of 19.23 has been poor.

Looking at his averages, it remains to be seen if he can be a consistent performer or just keep putting in some cameos, which does not seem to justify the price tag.

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#1 Ishan Kishan (Sunrisers Hyderabad - INR 11.25 Crore)

The SunRisers Hyderabad have probably made a blunder with the purchase of Ishan Kishan for INR 11.25 Crore at the IPL 2025 auction. Ishan Kishan, a left-handed wicketkeeper-batter, plays as an opener.

Hyderabad already have a set opening duo in Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head, both of whom are left-handers as well. Therefore, there is no way he will fit in as an opener unless either of the two underperforms or gets injured. With Heinrich Klaasen, the SunRisers have a solid wicketkeeper-batter as well. With a packed batting order, Ishan Kishan's batting position remains undetermined.

Moreover, his numbers last season (320 runs from 14 innings with a strike rate of 148.83), along with his inconsistent form, do not justify such a heavy price tag by any means.