The Indian Premier League (IPL) is one of the most-watched leagues around the world; not just the matches, but even the player auction is widely consumed by audiences worldwide. Every year, fans tune in to see which player will ultimately fetch the record bid, be it the mega or mini auction. However, seasoned India pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar is not a fan of the auction, saying it takes a toll on players’ mental health. The 36-year-old made a candid admission, saying he, too, has struggled to stay calm and maintain his composure during auctions, despite being an established name in Indian cricket.
Bhuvneshwar’s IPL journey began with the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in 2010, when he was signed for INR 6 lakh, but he did not get to play a single game for the franchise. A year later, Pune Warriors India acquired him for INR 20 lakh, but his breakthrough move came in 2014, when Sunrisers Hyderabad bought him for INR 4.25 crore.
The pacer then spent almost a decade with SunRisers Bhuvneshwar before making the switch to RCB at the 2025 auction. He was picked up for INR 10.75 crore, and there has been no looking back since, having won back-to-back titles with the Rajat Patidar-led side.
Reflecting on the experience, Bhuvneshwar recalled just how stressful auction day could be for players. He pointed to the 2025 auction as an example, remembering that he was representing Uttar Pradesh in a Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy match when his future in the premier T20 tournament was being decided.
“It’s a mental toll on players, big time, because I remember when, I think the auction happened in 2013-14, when SRH picked me, at that time I was playing for India, but you remain very nervous mentally,” Bhuvneshwar told Jatin Sapru in an interview.
“Even if you don’t say it, mentally you feel, ‘What will happen, what won’t happen?’ I won’t call it ‘mentally disturbed’, but you stay worried. I think I know it’s irrelevant, but if someone gives the option, I would remove the auction, because it’s not right for players’ mentality,” he added.
How has it been at RCB?
Bhuvneshwar also revealed that he was quite surprised when RCB picked him, but ultimately, he felt at home. The last two editions of the IPL have seen Bhuvneshwar being at his best, and this has been one of the main reasons behind RCB’s success in the tournament. The performances have also led to a clamour for his inclusion in India’s T20I setup.
“When I was told RCB had bought me, I was a bit surprised, because when the auction was going on, there were two other teams; when I was told RCB bought me, I was like, ‘okay’,” he said.
“But messages came from RCB, of course, from the support staff, from the director, welcoming me and all those things. And I was happy to be part of a team with such a good and big fan base. And when I first met the support staff, there was one simple thing in them: ‘if we win, that would be great; if we don’t win, it’s just one more year.’ So I think everyone was excited, they were prepared, but they were relaxed,” said the senior India pacer.
