Robin Uthappa picks 5 likely most expensive wicketkeepers in IPL 2025 auction, omits Ishan Kishan

Robin Uthappa has picked five likely most expensive wicketkeeper-batters in the IPL 2025 auction. Ishan Kishan is among the prominent players who failed to make his list.

The IPL 2025 auction will be held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on November 24 and 25. The franchises seem to be willing to pay big bucks for wicketkeeper-batters, with Heinrich Klaasen (₹23 crore), Nicholas Pooran (₹21 crore), Sanju Samson (₹18 crore) and Dhruv Jurel (₹14 crore) already being retained for massive sums.

During a discussion on Star Sports, Uthappa chose Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul, Jos Buttler, Quinton de Kock, and Phil Salt as the likely top-five wicketkeepers at the auction. As for Pant's potential price, he said:

"How much? I would say between 25 and 28 crores. I think he will get the big bucks. He will be the highest-paid player, in my opinion, in this auction, and I think he should be. I am excited for him and I really want him to be the highest-paid player. I think he will augur the kind of price from a couple of teams for sure."

The former India batter feels the Punjab Kings and the Royal Challengers Bengaluru might be willing to spend exorbitant amounts to acquire Pant's services.

"Now which are those couple of teams who can afford that much, to spend that much on a player - no-brainer I would say. I would say Punjab again will come into the fray. Maybe RCB to a certain extent. They can look at a wicketkeeper-cum-captain as well and he likes to lead. So that could be a role there in RCB as well," Uthappa observed.

Pant was released by the Delhi Capitals ahead of the auction. With 446 runs at a strike rate of 155.40 in 13 innings, the wicketkeeper-batter was the Delhi-based franchise's highest run-scorer in IPL 2024.

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"I think RCB could be a massive contender for KL Rahul" - Robin Uthappa

KL Rahul was released by the Lucknow Super Giants ahead of the IPL 2025 auction. [P/C: iplt20.com]

In the same discussion, Robin Uthappa named the Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Delhi Capitals, and Gujarat Titans as the franchises that might be keen to acquire KL Rahul's services.

"I think RCB could be a massive contender for KL Rahul. Punjab, I don't think he will probably go back there. Perhaps someone like Delhi could be interested. Even GT could be interested. I am not quite sure about CSK because you have already got a captain. He has been a leader before, so he will perhaps look forward to a role like that," he said.

With Aakash Chopra suggesting that Ishan Kishan could be sold for ₹16-18 crore, Uthappa opined that such a price would only be based on potential and not performance.

"I will be very surprised if Ishan goes for 16 to 18 crores. If he does go for that much, they are going on potential. You wouldn't say they are going on performance and someone will have to really work with him. I really think if Ishan can get his batting together, he deserves that much," he observed.

Rahul amassed 520 runs at a strike rate of 136.12 in 14 innings for LSG in IPL 2024. Kishan aggregated 320 runs at a strike rate of 148.83 in 14 innings for the Mumbai Indians last season.