Rishabh Pant, Pratika Rawal Headline Delhi Premier League Season 3 Auction as Over 600 Players Go Under the Hammer

The stage is set for one of the biggest days in Delhi's domestic cricket calendar as the Delhi Premier League (DPL) Season 3 Player Auction takes place in New Delhi on July 1. 

With more than 600 players entering the auction pool across the men's and women's competitions, franchises will look to assemble balanced squads ahead of the upcoming season. The auction, beginning at 9:00 AM, will feature eight men's franchises and four women's franchises, each aiming to strengthen their squads through a mix of established stars and emerging talent. Among the marquee names expected to attract significant interest are Indian wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant and rising women's cricketer Pratika Rawal.

This year's auction promises to be the largest in the league's history. More than 400 men's players and over 200 women's players are set to go under the hammer. Before the auction, franchises completed their retention process, with 65 men's players and 28 women's players retained.

The retained players provide each franchise with a core group, leaving plenty of room for strategic additions during the auction.

The Delhi Premier League has rapidly established itself as an important platform for Delhi's domestic cricketers, offering opportunities for young players to share the dressing room with experienced professionals while showcasing their talent before selectors.

Delhi & District Cricket Association (DDCA) President Rohan Jaitley described the auction as one of the most significant days of the domestic cricket season. According to Jaitley, the player auction is where franchises begin shaping their identity for the season, making strategic decisions that often determine their success. He also noted that the Delhi Premier League has evolved into a meaningful competition for Delhi cricket by providing opportunities for both established players and emerging youngsters to perform on a competitive stage.

Much of the attention during the auction will be on the men's Marquee category, where Rishabh Pant is expected to be among the most sought-after players. The category also includes several well-known domestic and IPL cricketers such as Kuldeep Yadav, Ishant Sharma, Mayank Yadav, Navdeep Saini, Simarjeet Singh, Suyash Sharma, Digvesh Rathi, Anuj Rawat, Himmat Singh, Vansh Bedi, Sarthak Ranjan and Tejasvi.

Marquee players carry a base price of ₹10 lakh, while players in Category A begin at ₹5 lakh, Category B at ₹3 lakh, and Category C at ₹1 lakh.

The combination of experienced internationals and promising domestic talent is expected to create intense bidding among franchises.

Pratika Rawal Among Women's Star Attractions

The women's auction is equally expected to generate considerable interest. India international Pratika Rawal headlines the marquee pool alongside Priya Punia, Priya Mishra, Parunika Sisodia and Simran Dil Bahadur. The base price for women's marquee players has been set at ₹5 lakh, while Category A players will start at ₹3 lakh, Category B at ₹1.5 lakh, and Category C at ₹75,000. With women's cricket continuing to grow in popularity, franchises will be keen to secure experienced performers capable of making an immediate impact.

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Each men's franchise entered the season with a purse of ₹1.5 crore, although retention costs have reduced the available balance ahead of the auction. Among the teams, South Delhi Superstarz head into the auction with one of the largest remaining purses at ₹99.05 lakh, while West Delhi Lions have the least remaining with ₹68.25 lakh.

Women's franchises were allocated ₹75 lakh each before retention deductions. Squad composition rules will also influence franchise strategy.

Men's teams must build squads of 20 to 25 players, including exactly two Marquee players, four Category A players, six to ten Category B players, and eight to nine Category C players. Women's teams must assemble 18 to 22-player squads, also requiring two Marquee players alongside fixed category requirements. These regulations ensure every franchise maintains a balanced mix of elite performers and developing talent.

One of the most intriguing features of the auction remains the Right to Match (RTM) card. Each franchise possesses one RTM card that can be used once during the auction. If one of their former players is successfully bid on by another team, the original franchise can match the final bid and reclaim the player.

This mechanism often creates dramatic moments during player auctions and adds another layer of strategy to franchise planning.

Since its inception, the Delhi Premier League has emerged as one of India's strongest state-based T20 competitions, providing a launchpad for several players who have progressed to the IPL and higher levels of domestic cricket. With star names like Rishabh Pant and Pratika Rawal available, experienced campaigners already retained by franchises, and hundreds of aspiring cricketers hoping to secure contracts, the Season 3 auction promises to shape another exciting edition of the tournament.

Fans can watch the auction live on JioHotstar and the official DPL T20 YouTube channel, as franchises build squads capable of challenging for the Delhi Premier League title.