With the (Indian Premier League) IPL 2025 mega-auction set to take place on November 24 and 25 in Jeddah, it's always worth reflecting on how the bidding wars have seen a lot of controversies associated with it. With 574 players available in the fray and 46 already retained by the ten franchises, the auction will be full of entertainment and drama. While designed to create an equal distribution of players among the teams, the system has come under criticism for years. Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals' decision to retain their full quota of six retentions this year has already set debate regarding their team-building strategy. The BCCI said that they will change retention policies, where five retentions and one Right to Match (RTM) card can be allowed. Here, it is clear that the auctions have undergone a change. These big auctions have changed the whole game throughout the years, but there are some controversies at the auction table that are still spoken about. Shashank Singh's Mistaken Bid by Punjab (IPL 2024 Auction) Image Source: AFP Perhaps the biggest controversy of the IPL auctions occurred in 2024, when the Punjab Kings raised their paddle for uncapped all-rounder Shashank Singh during the accelerated round. It was reportedly for a 19-year-old talent that the Punjab Kings brought him to the table, but instead, they got a 33-year-old Chhattisgarh player. However, co-owners Preity Zinta and Ness Wadia tried to rectify the mistake, but IPL rules held strong, and PBKS had to make do with the pick. He hammered 21 off 8 balls in his debut for RCB. The veteran went on to become one of the breakout stars of the season, scoring 354 runs at a strike rate of 164.65 while adding a wicket also. Punjab Kings have now retained this mistaken pick for INR 5.5 crore ahead of the 2025 mega auction. Also Read | IPL Auction 2025: Why is Unmukt Chand Included as an Overseas Player? Khaleel Ahmed's Bid Mistake (IPL 2022 Auction) Image Source: BCCI It was drama galore when pacer Khaleel Ahmed was up for bidding on the second day of the 2022 IPL auction, thanks to momentary confusion that developed when auctioneer Charu Sharma got it wrong. Mumbai Indians opened the bid with INR 5.25 crore for the left-arm pacer, a figure that was seen by Delhi Capitals' co-owner Kiran Kumar Grandhi, who raised his paddle at INR 5.5 crore, interpreted by Sharma as DC's opening bid. The situation got more complicated when Grandhi waved his paddle to wait. But Sharma had already announced Khaleel was sold to the Delhi Capitals for INR 5.25 crore, ignoring the raised price by SRH. The confusion ended well for Delhi in having this fast bowler to their side. Khaleel played 10 matches for DC in the 2022 season and fetched them 16 wickets. Also Read | Tilak Varma Scripts History with Three Straight T20 Tons Secret Tiebreaker (IPL 2010 Auction) Image Source: IPL The 2010 IPL auction threw up an interesting bidding war that changed the fortunes of Mumbai Indians forever. The explosive West Indies all-rounder, Kieron Pollard, triggered a battle among four franchises: MI, Chennai Super Kings, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, and Kolkata Knight Riders, all reaching the maximum bid cap of USD 750,000. This ended in a hidden tiebreaker in which the teams had to submit sealed bids. Mumbai Indians won the deal. The final price was never disclosed, but only Lalit Modi, then the commissioner of IPL, and the franchise knew it. The gamble went in favor of the Mumbai Indians, as Pollard was a vital component of their five IPL titles. He scored 3412 runs in 189 games at a strike rate of 147.32 and took 69 wickets.