The Jharkhand State Cricket Association (JSCA) will hold the first-ever player auction for the inaugural Jharkhand T20 League on Saturday, 31 May 2025, in Jamshedpur, with 275 cricketers entering the pool across multiple bid categories. The six competing franchises will each operate with an auction purse of ₹50 lakh as they build squads for the state's first major franchise-based T20 competition.

The Six Franchises and Auction Structure

The franchises set to compete in the inaugural edition are Ranchi Titans, Jamshedpur Steelers, Chota Nagpur Royals, Koylanchal Super Kings, Dhanbad Diamonds, and Santhal Strikers. Each side must finalise a squad of a minimum of 16 players and a maximum of 18 players.

Of the 275 players in the auction pool, seven have been placed in the Icon category with a base price of ₹4 lakh. Category A (Senior State Players) carries a base price of ₹75,000, with subsequent tiers descending to Category C2.

Star Names in the Auction Pool

Several prominent Jharkhand cricketers are among the most sought-after names in the pool. Ishan Kishan, Robin Minz, Kumar Kushagra, Anukul Roy, Sushant Mishra, Utkarsh Singh, and Virat Singh are expected to attract the fiercest bidding wars as franchises look to anchor their squads around established talent.

Veteran cricket broadcaster Charu Sharma will conduct the auction proceedings, overseeing bids from all six franchises.

What JSCA Officials Said

Ajay Nath Shah Deo, President of the Jharkhand State Cricket Association, said: 'Jharkhand has been such an integral part of Indian cricket for a long time, and the Jharkhand T20 League will only further strengthen that core and create a pipeline for notable and aspiring cricketers alike.'

Sanjay Pandey, Vice President of the JSCA, added: 'The main aim for Jharkhand State Cricket Association has always been to provide the state's cricketers the best opportunity to excel at the state, national, and international level, and we are sure that the Jharkhand T20 League is a step in the right direction towards that.'

Saurabh Tiwary, Secretary of the JSCA, drew on personal experience: 'The importance of playing leagues is something that I have experienced first-hand and benefitted from. I am confident that every cricketer, senior and upcoming, will benefit from the Jharkhand T20 League and continue growing their talent.'

Where to Watch the Auction

The auction will be telecast live on DD Sports and streamed on Waves, giving fans across the state a chance to follow every bid in real time. The league itself is expected to serve as a significant development platform for Jharkhand's deep cricketing talent pool — a state that has already produced some of India's most celebrated players.

With the auction set to kick off on Saturday, all eyes will be on which franchise secures the strongest squad heading into the competition's historic first season.