Kolkata Knight Riders co-owner Shah Rukh Khan voiced his opposition to holding a mega auction before the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 during a meeting with IPL owners at the BCCI Headquarters in Mumbai. Khan advocated for a smaller auction, leading to a heated discussion with Punjab Kings co-owner Ness Wadia. However, Khan's stance received backing from Sunrisers Hyderabad owner Kavya Maran.
Maran expressed her concerns about a mega auction, pointing out the time and investment needed to develop younger players. She highlighted Abhishek Sharma's three-year journey to consistency as an example, noting that similar cases exist in other teams.
Kolkata Knight Riders won the IPL 2024 championship, while Sunrisers Hyderabad were the runners-up. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced plans to present the feedback from all ten franchise owners to the tournament's governing council for consideration before finalising player regulations for the 2025 season.
The BCCI organised the meeting to discuss key issues such as mega auctions, player retention, and the impact player rule. BCCI Secretary Jay Shah stated that the discussion included feedback on player regulations and commercial aspects, including merchandising, licensing, and gaming. The BCCI will review these recommendations with the IPL Governing Council before setting the regulations for the upcoming season.