Shreyas Iyer Shines with Double Century in Ranji Trophy Ahead of IPL 2025 Auction

Showcasing exemplary form at Ranji Trophy, Mumbai batter Shreyas Iyer made a glorious double century against Odisha. The aggressive batsman went past the milestone off a boundary and just within 201 balls from the Sharad Pawar Cricket Academy in Mumbai.

All the fireworks that his innings had on their part was with 21 fours and eight sixes driving the Odisha bowlers to insane and he goes happy in celebrating his third First-Class double century. The score enables him to go beyond his previous highest First-Class score of 202, which he had made against Australia in 2017 for India A.32

Iyer has been in good form in domestic cricket of late, with this double ton after a century against Maharashtra in some early round. Being out of the game played against Tripura because of injury hasn’t been a huge setback for him though; he has shown resilience and skill in the performance that he has managed to deliver. Iyer was earlier part of India’s Test squad. Since February 2024, he has not been seen in the national team frame.

His last appearance was against Sri Lanka in an ODI series which India lost to Sri Lanka with a 2-0 series loss under Rohit Sharma’s captaincy. His last game for India in T20I was in 2023 against Australia at Bengaluru. Following his exile from the central contract and also from the Indian team, Iyer has now turned his focus to domestic cricket with an eye on the upcoming IPL auction, for proving himself once again.

Recent Setbacks and Road to Recovery

Iyer had himself navigated the last few years of achievement and challenge. A back injury had rendered him unavailable for IPL in 2023; Iyer returned to lead Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) this season. Under his stewardship, KKR won their third IPL title by beating Sunrisers Hyderabad under Dinesh Karthik in an all-one-sided victory. Though KKR released the player much before the 2025 mega auction despite major contribution towards the success of the franchise, Rinku Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, Harshit Rana, and Ramandeep Singh will stay in the franchise. Iyer, though will now be sold at the event.

Upcoming IPL Mega Auction and Opportunities

The much-awaited mega IPL 2025 auction will be held on November 24 and 25 at the Abady Al Johar Arena in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. A repeat of what the 2024 edition witnessed at Dubai, and as has been the case for the last couple of years, IPL 2025 will be played on foreign soil.

A humongous 1,574 players – 1,165 Indian and 409 overseas – will be up for grabs for the different franchises to buy, filling the 204 available squad slots this time around. Accordingly, the teams can prepare a list of about 25 players and manage their squad according to their discretion to finalize the lineup for the season ahead.

Iyer’s form in the Ranji Trophy is likely to drive up his price substantially at the auction where he will be likely to prove one of the most sought-after buys for the franchises because Iyer has a lot of experience in batting both in domestic and international cricket. Fans can enjoy following the action live.

One such huge platform is Winexch considered to be the godfather of cricket, which offers comprehensive coverage and where fans can “watch live cricket for free” and stay up to date with all the auction highlights and player signings.

Prospects for National Team Recall

For Iyer, it is a high-pressure moment as he looks to get an opportunity in a new franchise in the IPL and make his case anew for competitive cricket. In great form with the bat and ball, having also played as an established leader, his double century adds a lot of weightage to his readiness for the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead in the IPL and, more importantly, possibly in international colors too.

Going ahead, as hype for the auction continues to grow, the recent achievements made by Shreyas Iyer are sure to be seen in the limelight as franchises start to plan their bidding strategies.

FAQ

Q. Why was Shreyas Iyer released by Kolkata Knight Riders after winning the IPL with them?

A. Despite winning KKR a third IPL title, the side decided to release him before the 2025 auction to focus on other retained players, perhaps due to budget constraints or a change of strategy.

Q. How many players will be up for grabs in the IPL 2025 auction?

A. There will be an aggregate of 1,574 players for auction in 2025-out of which 1,165 are Indians and 409 overseas talents.

Q. Why was Shreyas Iyer’s double century against Odisha crucial?

A. Iyer scored a double hundred off 201 balls. His dominating performance against the Odisha bowlers meant he not only made it but also broke his previous highest First-Class score of 202.

Q. Where and when is the IPL 2025 auction going to take place?

A. The mega auction for IPL 2025 will be held on November 24 and 25 at the Abady Al Johar Arena in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. This would be the second successive overseas auction.

Q. How do the fans watch live IPL auctions and other cricket action?

A. Fans can “watch live cricket for free” and see the auction updates on platforms like Winexch, a popular site called the “godfather of cricket” because it provides comprehensive coverage of the major cricket tournaments.