'If Faf can be sold, why not David Warner' - Aakash Chopra on former Australian opener going unsold in IPL 2025 mega-auction

During the recent Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 mega-auction held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, legendary Australian opener David Warner grabbed the headlines for all the wrong reasons. The veteran, who has been a key player in the league for years, went unsold.

Renowned cricket commentator Aakash Chopra opened up about this development, believing that Warner's absence from the auction roster might be due to his non-cricketing considerations. Warner's IPL numbers are impressive with 6,565 runs from 184 matches, making him the most prolific overseas batter in the tournament's history. His achievements include seven seasons of crossing 500 runs along with three Orange Caps to his name.

Despite his illustrious track record, Warner's performance with Delhi Capitals in IPL 2024 was underwhelming. He managed just 168 runs in eight innings at an average of 21.00. However, Chopra believes that this alone cannot justify his complete exclusion from the auction.

"Some people were not sold, and some of them were statements, that they won't take David Warner. You were getting David Warner for INR 2 crore. He is IPL's GOAT, his Aadhar card is already made, dances to South Indian songs, and loves India a lot but no one bought him. It can't be because of cricket. Faf du Plessis was sold. If Faf can be sold, why not David Warner?" he said on his YouTube channel.

Also Read: IPL 2025 mega-auction: David Warner finds no bidders as veteran goes unsold

David Warner wasn't picked only because of non-cricketing reasons: Aakash Chopra

Chopra believes that Warner's exclusion was not purely performance-based. The base price of INR 2 crore made him a seemingly attractive prospect for any franchise looking for experience and match-winning capabilities.

"Two Australian coaches, Ricky Ponting and Justin Langer, were also sitting there but no one bought him. They might have bought David Warner the player but maybe didn't want Warner the person. I am not privy to this but common sense says that you will not take David Warner only because of non-cricketing reasons," Chopra added.

Warner's recent performances, including an impressive showing at the MAX60 tournament in the Caribbean where he was the highest run-getter, show he still possesses considerable cricketing abilities even after hanging his boots from international cricket. The auction also saw other players like Prithvi Shaw who went unsold with Chopra mentioning that off-field issues might be influencing team selections. 

"He scored less runs last year but that happens with a lot of people. Devdutt Padikkal also scored less runs but he was also bought again by RCB for two crores. If you are a decent player and a season goes bad, people are okay with it. However, if you are unable to manage your off-field issues, there is a line in the sand, and it is there for Prithvi Shaw as well," Chopra concluded.