During an IPL auction, the auctioneer has the authority to close a sale. Franchises signal their interest by raising paddles, and bids increase in fixed increments from the base price. Players are grouped by role and base price to ensure order, but the auction moves quickly, especially during high-volume phases.
A player is sold when the auctioneer calls “going once, going twice” and no franchise continues to bid. The highest bid on the table at that point is final. Unsold players enter an accelerated auction phase, where only requested names are brought back for bidding. Even if a player remains unsold, they can still be considered as an injury replacement later.
Although the system aims to be transparent and final, it is not without flaws. In a notable incident during the IPL 2025 mega auction, there was controversy during the bidding for Swastik Chikara. Despite claims from Delhi Capitals that they had raised a bid that went unnoticed, the sale was finalized. Once the gavel falls, the transaction is considered final under auction rules, even if there are missed signals or objections post-sale.
The auctioneer, Mallika Sagar, acknowledged missing Delhi Capitals’ bid due to the speed of proceedings. Despite protests from the franchise, including co-owner Kiran Grandhi’s visible frustration, the sale stood. Published on Dec 16, 2025.
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