When R Ashwin called me a week ago and asked if I could travel to Chennai to be part of the mock IPL auction he was conducting, I was apprehensive. At times, these things are more show-off than anything meaningful. With all the aviation chaos going on in the country, the easy thing would have been to withdraw and not travel. But then, Ashwin has this ability to convince you, and it is tough to say no to him. He had also requested that I host the fireside chat after the auction, and it was an important review show after all the effort put in by him and his team.
Let me say this clearly: I was pleased to be a part of it. The intent was evident, and the room was full of people you often encounter on social media but don’t generally meet. Each has a role to play in the ecosystem, and it was great on Ashwin’s part to bring them all together under one umbrella. There was CricCrazyNIKS, who has worked with me in the past, and also Gaurav Sundararaman, one of the better analysts in the country at the moment. There were men and women from diverse backgrounds in the room, and what united them was their love for the game.
What stood out was how well people had prepared. Take the bidding for Karthik Sharma, for example. He was sold for over 7 crores, and it was evident that the ones present in the room knew their cricket really well. In fact, may I make a larger point here? With IPL scouts all doing a professional job, they now know far more than some of the state selectors actually do. I will go on to say that some selectors have been left way behind by these scouts, and that’s where you truly get to know more about the talent in the pipeline.
The result is that a number of players now get IPL contracts and only then make their state teams. By extension, the influencers present in the room were much like the new-age IPL scouts. They knew their stats and their stories. It wasn’t a mock auction for them; rather, it was an opportunity to be part of something interesting and to showcase their talent.
I will also say that teams would do well to watch this auction. The kinds of bids seen could serve as valuable research before the real deal takes place in Abu Dhabi on December 16.
And the fireside chat was superb. Ashwin opened up on most bids, and Gaurav explained, with numbers, how teams could eventually stack up. In sum, it was a lovely day spent with people in the sport, and with the flight on time – a real rarity in present-day India – I had nothing to complain about.
Watch the auction, and I am sure it will serve as excellent preparation before 16 December 16 spectacle.
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EXCLUSIVE
“What concerns me is character assassination. Sport should never get there.”
R Ashwin calls for responsible cricket conversations as he brings the community together for the #WinningBid Mock Auction@ashwinravi99 @BoriaMajumdar @gargiraut15 @ThumsUpOfficial pic.twitter.com/GaBRdu8ZoF
— RevSportz Global (@RevSportzGlobal) December 8, 2025
