Digvesh Rathi Goes Big In DPL 2025 Auction; Virat Kohli’s Nephew, Virender Sehwag's Son Also Picked

Indian Premier League (IPL) stars Digvesh Rathi (INR 38 lakh to South Delhi Superstars), Simarjeet Singh (INR 39 lakh to Central Delhi Kings), Nitish Rana (INR 34 lakh to West Delhi Lions), and Prince Yadav (INR 33 lakh to New Delhi Tigers) were the top picks in the Delhi Premier League (DPL) 2025 auction on July 6 (Sunday).

As many as 520 players went under the hammer for the second season of DPL. "Last year, we pulled off a successful first season in a limited window, thanks to the hard work of everyone involved. With 35 million views on the Jio platform, 1,084 million minutes of watch time, and 240 million views across social media, it's clear that cricket continues to create a massive global wave of excitement and engagement,” said DDCA president Rohan Jaitley.

“This year, we’ve gone a step further—revisiting our auction system, broadening the player base, and elevating domestic cricket to ensure the best talent emerges. We’ve also added two new men’s franchises, continuing our mission to offer top-quality competitive cricket."

Central Delhi Kings had already retained Jonty Sidhu ahead of the auction and strengthened their squad further by adding key players like Simarjeet Singh and Yash Dhull. The Kings also bought Virender Sehwag's son Aryavir Sehwag in the auction.

“I’m really looking forward to this season. It’s a great opportunity for players to shine on a big stage. With selectors and fans watching closely—not just from India, but internationally as well—this league gives a chance to the players to make a mark. We saw some incredible cricket last year, and I’m sure this season will be even more exciting,” said former India opener Virender Sehwag.

Meanwhile, East Delhi Riders bolstered their squad by signing experienced pacer Navdeep Saini, while they had earlier retained wicketkeeper-batter Anuj Rawat. They also used the Right to Match (RTM) card to retain promising youngster Mayank Rawat for INR 26 lakh. New Delhi Tigers have Himmat Singh, Hiten Dalal and Prince Yadav.

Indian paceman Harshit Rana was retained by North Delhi Strikers, who also picked left-arm pacer Kuldip Yadav, batters Sarthak Ranjan and Vaibhav Kandpal in the auction. Priyansh Arya, two-time IPL champion Suyash Sharma and Harsh Tyagi will play for new franchise Outer Delhi Warriors.

Puraani Dilli 6 made a powerful statement ahead of the upcoming season by retaining one of the most iconic names in world cricket — Rishabh Pant. The franchise also placed its trust in promising young talent, bringing in Vansh Bedi, Dev Lakra, Aayush Singh, and Samarth Seth. 

South Delhi Superstarz made a smart move ahead of the auction by retaining Ayush Badoni. Strengthening their squad further, the franchise secured spinner Digvesh Rathi, who impressed everyone with his performances in the IPL 2025 season. The franchise later picked Virat Kohli’s nephew Aryaveer Kohli for INR 1 lakh. 

West Delhi Lions began their campaign by retaining Ayush Doseja, a dependable performer in their ranks. At the auction, the franchise strategically added experience and leadership by getting seasoned cricketers Nitish Rana and Ishant Sharma. 

(All inputs from the DPL press release)