Aakash Chopra picks 6 likely most expensive overseas players at the IPL 2025 auction, doesn't include Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins

Aakash Chopra has picked the six likely most expensive overseas players at the IPL 2025 auction, assuming they aren't retained by their franchises. Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins, who were bought for ₹24.75 crore and ₹20.50 crore by the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and the SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH), respectively, didn't make his list.

The IPL franchises can retain or use the Right To Match card for at most six players, with a maximum of five capped and two uncapped. It remains to be seen whether Starc and Cummins are retained by their respective franchises.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra', the former India opener feels Heinrich Klaasen might be the most expensive overseas player at the auction if he is not retained by SRH.

"If we go by reports, Klaasen has already been retained for 23 crores. So I am assuming that if he had come to the auction, he would have been the most expensive. Since he bats very low in the batting order and keeps along with that, he could have been No. 1 or No. 2," he said (4:20).

Chopra reckons Nicholas Pooran might also be a prized acquisition at the auction if he is not retained by the Lucknow Super Giants.

"After that, the second name that comes to your mind has similar qualities. He is Nicholas Pooran. I feel LSG will also retain him. He is also the kind of player, that if he comes to the auction, he will be very expensive because batting and keeping is a unique combination, and he hits sixes in batting. Both these players play spin well," he reasoned.

The former KKR player believes Sunil Narine could earn huge bucks at the auction if the franchise releases him.

"Can Sunil Narine be the third name on that list? He was the MVP last season. He scored a century and an eighty and picked up wickets as well. He is outstanding and I feel Kolkata will retain him as well. The only thing that goes against him is that age is not on his side," Chopra observed.

With 488 runs at a strike rate of 180.74 in 14 innings, Narine was KKR's highest run-getter in IPL 2024. The spin-bowling all-rounder also picked up 17 wickets at an economy rate of 6.69 in 14 innings.

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"Can Rashid Khan be the fourth?" - Aakash Chopra

Rashid Khan picked up 10 wickets at an economy rate of 8.40 in 12 innings in IPL 2024. [P/C: iplt20.com]

In the same video, Aakash Chopra opined that Rashid Khan, if he makes it to the auction, might not be as expensive as he would have been three years ago.

"Can Rashid Khan be the fourth? If you had asked the same question three years ago, Rashid Khan might have been No. 1. However, his stocks have dipped slightly. It's because of injury as well and he hasn't been the same bowler since he has returned," he explained (6:00).

The reputed commentator reckons Travis Head might be more expensive than Pat Cummins if both are available at the auction.

"After that, can it be Travis Head/Pat Cummins? If I look at Pat Cummins' captaincy, I would say yes, but 20-22 crore? I am still thinking maybe not. I am thinking Travis Head although IPL auction history says that overseas openers don't get that much money. However, the sort of season he had and the kind of cricket he plays, I think Travis Head," Chopra said.

Chopra concluded by noting that Andre Russell's all-round abilities should make him a sought-after player if KKR let him go.

"Can Andre Russell be the sixth? Again an all-rounder who bats down the order. He bowls as well and looked fit last year. What goes against him? Exactly the thing that goes against Sunil Narine. He is not getting younger by the day but, once again, what a quality player he is. He is absolutely gun," he elaborated.

Russell smashed 222 runs at a strike rate of 185.00 in nine innings in IPL 2024. The seam-bowling all-rounder also picked up 19 wickets at an economy rate of 10.05 in 14 innings.