Former India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin hosted one of the most talked-about fan events of the year the ‘Winning Bid Mock Auction 2026’ on 7 December 2025. Held in partnership with Crikipidea, the live session took place on X (formerly Twitter) and instantly became a trending topic with hashtags #WinningBid and #AshwinMockAuctions.
The event served as a fun and strategic warm-up ahead of the real IPL 2026 Mini Auction scheduled in Abu Dhabi on 16 December. With real-time bidding, fan panels, and Ashwin himself acting as the auctioneer, the mock auction captured the excitement of a real IPL war room.
Event Overview: When & How It Happened
Ashwin’s mock auction ran for nearly three hours, featuring professional lighting, a stage-like setup, and team panels representing all 10 IPL franchises.
- Date: 7 December 2025
- Platform: X (Live) – @crikipidea
- Hosted by: Ravichandran Ashwin
- Format: Fan representatives used the real purse values and retention lists to simulate the upcoming IPL 2026 auction.
Ashwin, taking full control of the mic, played the role of the auctioneer — complete with humour, fast-paced calls, and spontaneous reactions.
Team Panels: Who Represented Which Team?
Many fan analysts, creators, and community members joined as representatives for their favourite franchises.
| Team | Panel Representative | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| SRH (Sunrisers Hyderabad) | Rizul Shah (@crikipidea) | Strong focus on spinners & Indian pacers |
| PBKS (Punjab Kings) | Nikhil (@CricCrazyNIKS), Vignesh | Went aggressive for batters & wrist-spinners |
| RR (Rajasthan Royals) | Piyush Sharma (covered bids) | Targeted an Indian wrist-spinner successfully |
| KKR (Kolkata Knight Riders) | Gargi Raut | All-women panel, videos went viral |
| Others (CSK, MI, DC, RCB, GT, LSG) | Mixed fan panels | Bids shown partially in live clips |
Every panelist wore team colours and used laptops to track stats — giving the event a real auction-room feel.
Here we GO! #WinningBid #AshwinMockAuctions
— Gargi Raut (@gargiraut15) December 7, 2025
The auction room is buzzing @crikipidea pic.twitter.com/Ab4iOa5k2Y
Just incase if you’re wondering if Rajasthan finally managed to get an Indian wrist spinner in the #AshwinMockauctions
— Peeyush Sharma (@peeyushsharmaa) December 7, 2025
Also, the auctioneer loves RR, RR still needs an off-spinning AR, what say @ashwinravi99? 🫣@crikipidea #WinningBid pic.twitter.com/x0POkGhd2T
Top Bids & Big Highlights
Though Ashwin will release the full auction video on YouTube soon, several major bids made headlines during the live session.
1. Jason Holder – Hot Battle Between DC & RCB
- Base Price: ₹2 crore
- DC opened at: ₹2.0 crore
- RCB raised to: ₹2.25 crore
- Final bid: Around ₹2.5 crore (team not confirmed)
2. PBKS shocks the room with a 7.5 crore bid
Punjab Kings aggressively went after a batter (name blurred in videos), taking the bid up to ₹7.5 crore.
3. Rajasthan Royals finally get an Indian wrist-spinner
A big celebration for RR fans as the team secured a local wrist-spinner something Ashwin called their “biggest need”.
Ashwin said excitedly, “RR needed this! Now they look balanced.”
Other Notable Moments
- SRH fans flooded the chat asking Ashwin: “Whom should we target?”
- PBKS showed discipline, saving purse for mid-tier picks.
- KKR’s panel grabbed attention with a loud, energetic bidding style.
- Ashwin’s jokes and hype moments kept the atmosphere lively.
In total, over 50 players went under the virtual hammer.
Ashwin’s ‘Winning Bid Mock Auction 2026’ was a fantastic blend of fun, strategy, and fan engagement. With enthusiastic panels, bold bids, and Ashwin’s entertaining hosting, the session has set the perfect tone ahead of the real IPL 2026 auction on 16 December in Abu Dhabi.
