Indian Players Register for SA20 Auction, This Mumbai Indians Star Sets Highest Base Price
Piyush Chawla headlines 13 Indians registered for the SA20 auction on September 9, joining a massive pool of 784 players.
The SA20 auction is set to take place on September 9 in Johannesburg, and for the first time, it will see a sizeable group of Indian players in the mix. A total of 13 Indians have registered, including veteran leg-spinner Piyush Chawla, who headlines the list.
Chawla, who retired from all forms of cricket after the 2024 IPL, has set his reserve price at 10,00,000 Rand (around INR 50 lakh). At 36, he brings vast experience, with 192 IPL wickets to his name, making him the joint third-highest wicket-taker in the league’s history. He was also part of India’s 2007 T20 World Cup and 2011 ODI World Cup-winning squads.
Alongside Chawla, the pool features familiar IPL names like Siddarth Kaul and Ankit Rajpoot. Kaul, 33, played six internationals for India and was a key bowler in the 2008 U19 World Cup-winning team.
Rajpoot, known for his stints with Rajasthan Royals and Kings XI Punjab, featured in 29 IPL matches. Both have set their base price at 200,000 Rand (about INR 10 lakh).
Other Indians in the auction include Mahesh Ahir, Sarul Kanwar, Anureet Singh Kathuria, Nikhil Jaga, Mohamed Faidh, KS Naveen, Ansari Marouf, Imran Khan (UPCA), Venkatesh Galipelly, and Atul Yadav. Among them, Imran Khan stands out with a base price of 500,000 Rand (around INR 25 lakh).
The BCCI’s rules mean only retired players or those without IPL ties can take part in leagues like the SA20. Last season, Dinesh Karthik became the first Indian to play in the competition when he turned out for Paarl Royals, scoring 97 runs in six innings, including a fifty.
This year’s auction will also introduce a new wildcard rule, giving teams the option to sign one additional player outside the salary cap. The fourth season of the SA20 will run from December 26, 2025, to January 25, 2026.
