DPL auctions: Simarjeet Singh steals spotlight, Pant retained at bargain price

DPL auctions: The baffling dynamics of a player auction can often leave observers scratching their heads—and that’s precisely what unfolded during the Delhi Premier League (DPL) T20 men’s and women’s auctions held on July 6 and 7.

Swashbuckling batsman Rishabh Pant, who fetched an all-time IPL record of Rs 27 crore from Lucknow Super Giants last season, was retained by Purani Dilli 6 for just Rs 21 lakh. In contrast, 27-year-old pacer Simarjeet Singh earned Rs 18 lakh more than Pant, as Central Delhi Kings snapped him up for Rs 39 lakh—the highest bid of the auction.

Interestingly, Simarjeet has struggled with injuries in recent years, missing the entire 2022–23 domestic season. Last season, he played only two of Delhi’s seven Ranji Trophy matches, taking four wickets at an average of 30.75.

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The Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) had fixed retention fees for four player categories: Marquee (Rs 21 lakh), A (Rs 10 lakh), B (Rs 4.5 lakh), and C (Rs 1.5 lakh). Pant, categorised as Marquee, could not negotiate beyond the cap unless he entered the auction pool—something he likely chose not to do, as he would be representing India during the DPL season.

India’s ongoing tour of England is scheduled to end on August 4, while the DPL is expected to begin by the end of July. However, the DDCA has not yet announced official dates.

A total of 520 players went under the hammer at the men’s auction.

Digvesh Rathi, Rana among top men’s picks

Among the top buys, Digvesh Rathi—the mysterious leg-spinner who made headlines playing for Lucknow Super Giants in IPL 2025—was the second-most expensive player. He was bought by South Delhi Superstarz for Rs 38 lakh, Rs 8 lakh more than his IPL auction price of Rs 30 lakh.

Left-handed batsman Nitish Rana, who has returned to Delhi after representing Uttar Pradesh for two seasons in domestic cricket, was another marquee buy. He was acquired by West Delhi Lions for Rs 34 lakh.

Right-arm pacer Prince Yadav also crossed the Rs 30 lakh mark, with new franchise New Delhi Tigers buying him for Rs 33 lakh.

In another surprising turn, former India under-19 pacer Pankaj Jaswal, who has represented Himachal Pradesh, was picked up for Rs 24 lakh—Rs 3 lakh more than Pant—despite a base price of just Rs 1 lakh. A spirited bidding war helped him cross the Rs 20 lakh threshold.

Virender Sehwag’s sons were also in the fray and ended up in different franchises. Central Delhi Kings bought Aaryavir Sehwag (base price Rs 3 lakh) for Rs 8 lakh, while West Delhi Lions picked up Vedant Sehwag (base price Rs 3 lakh) for Rs 4 lakh. Aryaveer, nephew of Virat Kohli, was sold to South Delhi Superstarz at his base price of Rs 1 lakh.

Also read: Gill, Pant, Jaiswal can take India forward like Virat did alone: Michael Vaughan

Tanisha tops women’s auction charts

In the women’s auction, three players breached the Rs 10 lakh mark. Tanisha Singh was the most expensive pick at Rs 13 lakh by South Delhi Superstarz. North Delhi Strikers paid Rs 12.5 lakh for Nazma, while Monika went to Central Delhi Queens for Rs 10 lakh. All three had a base price of Rs 3 lakh.

All-rounder Purva Siwach, who had a base price of Rs 1.5 lakh, was bought for Rs 9.75 lakh by East Delhi Riders, making her one of the priciest players in the women’s pool.

Last season, North Delhi Strikers won the women’s title, while East Delhi Riders, led by Himmat Singh, clinched the men’s trophy.