‘It’s ridiculous’: Vaughan on having IPL auction amid the first Test of Border-Gavaskar Trophy | Cricket News
With the IPL 2025 mega auction set to take place in Riyadh on November 23-24 later this week, coinciding with the first Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy starting November 22, former England cricketer Michael Vaughan has questioned the BCCI’s decision to hold the auction at the same time. With a total of 574 players set to feature in the two-day auction, Vaughan believes the auction will ‘sway the profile of that Test match’.
“I don’t agree with the fact that they put the IPL auction in the middle of the first Test. I think it’s ridiculous. We’ve got a nine day break in between the first and the second (Tests) why they’re putting it there when you know the players are under pressure playing in a Test match, why they’d want to sway the profile of that Test match onto an IPL auction in Saudi I’m not too sure,” Vaughan told Codesports.
While the likes of Daniel Vettori, Australia bowling coach and also Sunrisers Hyderabad’s head coach, opted for attending the IPL auction at Riyadh and joining the Australian team management later, former cricketers like Ricky Ponting and Justin Langer too are expected to be at the auction. Cricket Australia has backed Vettori’s decision. “We are very supportive of Dan’s role as head coach of Sunrisers Hyderabad. Dan will complete final preparation for the first Test before attending the IPL auction. He will then be with the team for the remainder of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.” CA said in a statement.
With a total of 37 Australian players to feature in the IPL auction, including Mitchell Starc and young opener Jake Fraser-McGurk, former Australian opener David Warner too will be in the l. “It doesn’t bother me where I end up or if I don’t get picked up. It’s just one of those things. It’s a big auction. I’m actually looking forward to seeing how the teams build their side, and for the first time, you’ve got a lot of talented Indians and some high profile Indians that are back in the auction which is exciting for the game. The likes of Rishabh Pant, Shreyas Iyer, Ishan Kishan’s back in there as well. So I think it’s good for the game, and it’ll be interesting to see different players in different colours,” Warner told Codesports.
Warner also believes that Punjab Kings head coach Ricky Ponting may go for Fraser-McGruk at the auction. “(Punjab has) got the biggest purse, so it’s pretty much who they wanted to go after and target. I know he’s got a good relationship with Rishab. He’s got a good relationship with Shreyas Iyer. Jakey could go to (the Kings) but Delhi have the right-to-match card there, which is they can sit back and wait patiently, so it’s gonna be interesting to see what they do. But whatever happens (Punjab) should probably have the best look on paper off after the auction,” said Warner.
