The 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) has already sparked excitement among fans, with the mega auction held in Jeddah over two days. Out of 577 players, 182 have found a spot in the teams. This year, IPL franchises have shown a strong preference for young talent, with many emerging players being drafted into the squads. Let’s take a look at some of the youngest and most promising talents in IPL 2025:
1. Vaibhav Suryavanshi (13 years, 243 days)
A fierce bidding war took place between Delhi Capitals and Rajasthan Royals for this young prodigy. Rajasthan won the bid for 1.10 crore INR, making Suryavanshi the youngest player in IPL history. The Bihar cricketer made his first-class debut in the Ranji Trophy earlier this year and also impressed with a century in India’s U-19 team.
2. Andre Siddharth (18 years, 89 days)
Tamil Nadu’s promising all-rounder Andre Siddharth has been picked up by Chennai Super Kings for his base price of 30 lakh INR. This IPL season will be his second T20 tournament. He had an impressive start in red-ball cricket, scoring 372 runs in 6 Ranji matches at an average of 93.
3. Kiona Mafaka (18 years, 231 days)
Rajasthan Royals signed Mafaka for 1.5 crore INR. Although he only played 2 matches for Mumbai Indians last season, he showed great potential in the Par Royal league. Mafaka has ample opportunity to refine his skills through hard work and training.
4. Allah Ghazanfar (18 years, 240 days)
Ghazanfar, who was previously with Kolkata Knight Riders last season but didn’t get a chance to play, was picked up by Mumbai Indians. The 18-year-old Afghan cricketer has already represented his national team in 8 ODI matches and is keen to prove himself in IPL 2025.
5. Swastik Chikara (19 years, 238 days)
Swastik Chikara was acquired by Royal Challengers Bangalore for his base price of 30 lakh INR. He was part of Delhi Capitals last season and has a reputation for hitting massive boundaries. Chikara was the highest run-scorer in the Uttar Pradesh T20 League with 499 runs, and he also bowls off-spin occasionally.
The influx of youngsters into the teams shows that all of the IPL franchises are focused on planning for the future. The inclusion of players like Vaibhav Suryavanshi is sure to raise expectations among cricket fans. Now the biggest question is Can these young players prove their mettle in IPL 2025 and meet the high expectations of their teams and fans? We’ll have to wait for the tournament to unfold to find out.