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NEW DELHI: With the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 retention deadline approaching on November 15, excitement is at fever pitch. Franchises are finalising their lists, while fans speculate which big names might be released into the auction pool in December. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Amid this buzz, former India cricketer and ex-Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) player Mohammad Kaif has weighed in on a fascinating hypothetical — who would fetch the highest bid if Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Jasprit Bumrah all entered the auction together?
Kaif’s answer was clear and emphatic — Jasprit Bumrah.Speaking on his YouTube channel, Kaif argued that Bumrah’s match-winning impact makes him a generational player, even more valuable in auction dynamics than the superstar batters.“Among the three, Jasprit Bumrah would get the most money. Bumrah will get a lot of money because a bowler like him comes once in a generation. The kind of work he does for his team is exceptional,” Kaif said.He acknowledged Virat Kohli’s unmatched stature off the field but drew a sharp distinction between brand value and cricketing value.“Virat the batter, maybe you can find others like him, but Virat the brand — that continues. Nowadays, Virat the brand carries immense value,” he explained.Kaif further noted that IPL teams operate with a business-first mindset and view top players as both performers and commercial assets.“Whichever franchise joins the IPL or buys a team, they come to do business. They have invested money, so they want to earn money. It’s simple. They haven’t come here to do anyone a favour or to groom players, all that is nonsense,” he added.However, when it comes to pure match-winning influence, Kaif put Bumrah well ahead of both Kohli and Rohit.“If you ask who the biggest match-winner is among them, I would put Bumrah far ahead of Virat,” he concluded.
