The Indian Street Premier League (ISPL) Season 3 Player Auction delivered a landmark day in Mumbai, with franchises collectively spending close to INR 10 crore on 144 players.
The T10 tennis-ball league,
known for unearthing talent from across India, witnessed its most competitive auction yet as two new teams entered the fray.
The spotlight firmly rested on Vijay Pawle, who shattered league records by fetching INR 32.50 lakh through a Right to Match (RTM) move by Majhi Mumbai. The all-rounder, who was instrumental in Mumbai's championship-winning run last season, now holds the highest price tag in ISPL history. Close behind was Chennai Singams' RTM acquisition of Ketan Mhatre for INR 26.40 lakh, making him the second-most expensive player of the auction.
Rajendra Singh (INR 26.10 lakh to Bengaluru Strikers), Sanjay Kanojjiya (INR 24.55 lakh to Ahmedabad Lions) and Saif Ali (INR 23.65 lakh to Tiigers of Kolkata) rounded off the top five buys, underscoring the high demand for proven match-winners.
With Delhi Superheros and Ahmedabad Lions making their debut, the league now features eight franchises, adding fresh intensity to the bidding war. Falcons Risers Hyderabad emerged as the biggest spenders of the day, investing a total of INR 1.47 crore as they aggressively rebuilt their squad.
The auction pool featured 408 players from 101 cities, reflecting ISPL's rapid growth as a national grassroots platform. The event was attended by an array of cricket and entertainment icons, including ISPL Core Committee members Sachin Tendulkar, Ashish Shelar, Minal Amol Kale, Suraj Samat and Dipak Chauhan, along with team co-owners such as Akshay Kumar, Saif Ali Khan, Hrithik Roshan, Salman Khan and Ajay Devgn.
In the U-19 category, Ankit Yadav turned heads as the priciest youngster at INR 6.50 lakh, while 16-year-old Rudra Patil made history as the youngest pick of the season after being signed by Srinagar Ke Veer for INR 3 lakh.
The upcoming season, scheduled from January 9 to February 6, 2026 in Surat, promises a thrilling display of street cricket flair-with a Porsche 911 set to be awarded to the MVP, adding even more glamour to ISPL's fastest-growing sporting spectacle.
Top-5 buys: Vijay Pawle - ₹32.50 lakh (Majhi Mumbai) RTM Ketan Mhatre - ₹26.40 lakh (Chennai Singams) RTM Rajendra Singh - ₹26.10 lakh (Bengaluru Strikers) Sanjay Kanojjiya - ₹24.55 lakh (Ahmedabad Lions) Saif Ali - ₹23.65 lakh (Tiigers of Kolkata)
Top-5 batsmen: Ketan Mhatre - ₹26.40 lakh (Chennai Singams) RTM Sanjay Kanojjiya - ₹24.55 lakh (Ahmedabad Lions) Saif Ali - ₹23.65 lakh (Tiigers of Kolkata) Yogesh Penkar - ₹22.45 lakh (Falcon Risers Hyderabad) Fardeen Kazi - ₹22.30 (Bengaluru Strikers)
Top-5 bowlers: Rajendra Singh - ₹26.10 (Bengaluru Strikers) Anurag Sarshar - ₹19.20 lakh (Chennai Singams) Vicky Bhoir - ₹12 lakh (Falcon Risers Hyderabad) Nizam Ali - ₹9 lakh (Ahmedabad Lions) Vivek Shelar - ₹7 lakh (Tiigers of Kolkata)
Top all-rounders: Vijay Pawle - ₹32.50 lakh (Majhi Mumbai) RTM Saroj Parmanik - ₹20.60 lakh (Tiigers of Kolkata) Praveen Kumar - ₹16.50 lakh (Falcon Risers Hyderabad) Vishwajit Thakur - ₹15 lakh (Falcon Risers Hyderabad)
