The IPL mega auction has wrapped up in Saudi Arabia with some astronomical figures put up by franchises to secure the biggest names in white-ball cricket.

Watch every ball of Australia v India LIVE & ad-break free during play in 4K on Kayo | New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited time offer.

The two-day extravaganza yielded mixed results for Australia’s T20 stars.

Some secured massive pay days, others took a sizeable pay cut, while plenty missed out all together and will be putting their feet up for two months during next March, April and May.

Here are the winners and losers as 15 of the 37 Australians who went under the hammer were snapped up by the various franchises.

IPL AUCTION: The biggest Aussie snubs amid $1.2m paycut as 13yo batting prodigy makes history

WINNERS

Josh Hazlewood

Australia’s big three will all play in the same IPL season for the first time with Hazlewood cashing in upon his return to the competition after sitting out last season due to the birth of his first child.

The 33-year-old was bought by Royal Challengers Bengaluru on the opening night for $2.29 million to return to the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium after playing there alongside Virat Kohli in 2022 and 2023.

The right-arm seamer received the biggest pay day of any Australian in the auction as he was bought for more than double his base price.

It was the lowest top price for an Australian since the auction for the 2019 IPL where many players opted out due to the ODI World Cup, but Hazlewood’s services were in high demand as he is an IPL champion with Chennai Super Kings in 2021, and his relentless accuracy has built him an impressive T20 resume with a career economy rate of 7.51 and a strike rate of 17.8.

Hazlewood will not be the highest paid Australian next year however as his Test skipper Pat Cummins was retained by Sunrisers Hyderabad for $3.7 million.

Mitchell Starc

The left-arm quick took a massive pay cut with his $2.15 million purchase price by the Delhi Capitals less than half of what champions Kolkota Knight Riders paid for his services last season, but he is still a winner.

He was second only to Hazlewood in the price among the Australian bought as Starc underwhelmed for much of the tournament but delivered when it mattered most as he was breathtaking in the final with figures of 2/14 from three overs.

The dip in his price may be a result of his economy rate of 10.61 for the season as he took 17 wickets in 14 games, but the fact he is a proven match-winner meant he was still highly desirable.

The Capitals will be the third franchise he has played for after previously suiting up for Royal Challengers Bengaluru as well as Kolkota.

Marcus Stoinis

The big-hitting all-rounder was the top Australian on Ricky Ponting’s shopping list as he was purchased by the Punjab Kings for $2 million.

Ponting added five Australians to his squad – Glenn Maxwell ($770k), Josh Inglis ($475k), Aaron Hardie ($228k), Xavier Bartlett ($146k) and Stoinis who is the highest paid overseas player on the new-look Kings.

Punjab only retained two players before the mega auction – teams had the right to retain up to six players – as they undertook a cleanout and Stoinis will be a key cog after an impressive 2024 IPL campaign for the Lucknow Super Giants.

He smashed a century with 124 not out of 63 balls to chase down the Chennai Super Kings’ score of 210 as well as two other half centuries as he posted 388 runs in 15 games at an average of 32.22 at a strike rate of 147.52.

Stoinis’ bowling is always a handy weapon with him having the ability to swing the new ball and shoulder the responsibility at the death, and Ponting has clearly sought after all-rounders.

Jake Fraser-McGurk

The Rooster exploded onto the IPL scene as a replacement player for Delhi Capitals earlier this year and now he has received a $1.65 million pay day from the franchise that gave him a start in the lucrative league.

Fraser-McGurk was electric against the new ball in the powerplay with 330 runs in nine matches at an average of 36.66 and a whopping strike rate of 234.04.

He scored four half centuries under the tutelage of former Delhi coach Ponting who unlocked Fraser-McGurk’s potential by encouraging him to swing at 80% because that’s all he needs to clear the rope.

The right-hander has struggled in Australian colours and in franchise leagues around the world since his breakout IPL campaign, but the memories of him slapping the likes of Jasprit Bumrah to all parts clearly stuck in the mind of the Delhi hierarchy.

Josh Inglis

Australia’s most recent white-ball captain is off to the IPL for the first time with Ponting’s Punjab King snapping him up for $475,000.

The wicket-keeper batter’s reputation has flourished in the last twelve months with two T20I centuries including the fastest ever hit by an Australian from just 43 balls against Scotland in Edinburgh in September.

The knock that will stick in the mind of Indian fans however is his hundred in the first T20I of the infamous series that immediately followed Australia’s triumph in the ODI World Cup last year when most of the Australian side were exhausted and keen to go home.

Inglis has also starred in the Big Bash for the Perth Scorchers as well as The Hundred for the London Spirit.

Adam Zampa

Many feared that Zampa may not return to the IPL after causing a stir by pulling out of last season, like he did in Covid times.

New rules were brought in that bars players who do the same for two years going forward, but Australia’s dominant white ball spinner was still a sought after commodity.

He has been overlooked at times in the IPL with franchises choosing to use their international spots on fast bowlers and batters rather than a spinner when there are an abundance of local options, but Zampa still found himself at the Sunrisers Hyderabad for $440,000 alongside retained Australian teammates Pat Cummins and Travis Head.

The runners-up from last season will be the fourth franchise Zampa has played for after previously representing the Rajasthan Royals, Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Rising Pune Supergiants.

LOSERS

Spencer Johnson

It is hard to put someone who got bought as a loser, but Johnson copped a massive pay cut as he was sold to the Kolkota Knight Riders for $510,000 after pocketing $1.78 million from the Gujurat Titans last season.

The left arm speedster is a heavily discounted replacement for Mitchell Starc for the champions, but his drop in price comes as little surprise after an underwhelming debut campaign.

Johnson took only four wickets in five games as he went at an economy rate of 9.44.

His stocks are rising in Australian cricket however with a five-wicket haul in the recent T20I series against Pakistan and calls from greats like Mark Waugh that he could be elevated into the Test team.

Steve Smith

Australia’s best batter of the modern era’s absence from the IPL will extend to a fourth straight year as Smith went unsold in the mega auction.

It comes as little shock after he was pushed out of Australia’s T20 team earlier this year – he was not selected in the squad for the T20 World Cup in the West Indies and United States.

Smith showed in the Big Bash two summers ago that he can still be destructive in short form cricket with two centuries for the Sydney Sixers, and he boasts an impressive IPL record with 2485 runs from 103 matches at average of 34.51 with a strike rate of 128.09.

He also captained Washington Freedom to the title in America’s Major League Cricket with 88 in the final, but Smith’s day in the IPL look done.

Alex Carey

Australia’s Test keeper went unsold as he continues to miss out on white ball opportunities.

Carey was famously punted from Australia’s ODI team after the first game of last year’s World Cup, and has been on the outer of the national T20 team for some time with Inglis and the recently retired Matthew Wade preferred with the gloves.

The South Australian was in stellar form with the bat during the ODIs in England in September but will not be heading to the IPL for a second season.

His only campaign in the tournament to date was three games for Delhi Capitals in 2020.

Matt Short

Short has dominated the Big Bash in recent seasons for the Adelaide Strikers and has played handy innings this year at the top of the order in white ball cricket for Australia, but will not be returning to the IPL.

The destructive right-hander was with the Punjab Kings in 2023 but went unsold for a second consecutive year from a base price of $136,500.

The Victorian struggled in the series against Pakistan which may have proved costly.

Jhye Richardson

The West Australian quick was bought by the Punjab Kings for an astonishing $2.48 million in 2021 but this year went unsold.

Richardson has battled injury woes in recent years and even sent a scare through the Australian cricket hierarchy earlier this week when it appeared he had injured his shoulder celebrating a wicket in the Sheffield Shield, but thankfully resumed bowling.

He was bought by the Mumbai Indians and the Delhi Capitals – who played one game for last season – respectively in the past two years but injuries derailed those campaigns.

The right-armer has only managed four IPL games throughout his career for three wickets at an economy rate of 10.47.

Riley Meredith

Another Australian speedster who once fetched a large sum going unsold.

In the same 2021 auction as Richardson, Meredith was also bought by Punjab for $1.42 million.

He played three years in a row with 19 wickets in 18 games for the Kings as well as the Mumbai Indians, but like Richardson, has been hampered by injuries.

Meredith returned to the Australian white ball set-up during September tour of the United Kingdom, but he seems to have faded into obscurity when it comes to the IPL.

AUSTRALIANS AT THE 2025 IPL

Chennai Super Kings: Nathan Ellis ($365k)

Delhi Capitals: Mitch Starc ($2.15m), Jake Fraser-McGurk ($1.65m)

Kolkata Knight Riders: Spencer Johnson ($510k)

Lucknow Super Giants: Justin Langer (coach), Mitch Marsh ($623k)

Punjab Kings: Ricky Ponting (coach), Marcus Stoinis ($2m), Glenn Maxwell ($770k), Josh Inglis ($475k), Aaron Hardie ($228k), Xavier Bartlett ($146k)

Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Josh Hazlewood ($2.29m), Tim David ($547k)

Sunrisers Hyderabad: Pat Cummins ($3.7m), Travis Head ($1.2m), Adam Zampa ($440k)

Unsold: Sean Abbott, Ollie Davies, Ben Dwarshuis, Chris Green, Josh Philippe, Tanveer Sangha, Ben McDermott, Michael Neser, Alex Carey, Riley Meredith, Josh Brown, Matt Short, Will Sutherland, Ashton Agar, Hilton Cartwright, Cooper Connolly, Lance Morris, Jhye Richardson, Ashton Turner, Jason Behrendorff, Daniel Sams, Andrew Tye, David Warner