Fifty-six players went under the hammer across eight fully-formed franchise rosters, with total spends of ₹62.75 lakh against a ₹64 lakh purse as GEPL’s auction economy matures.
Jetha Ram (Mumbai Grizzlies) becomes the most expensive player in GEPL history at ₹3.50 lakh, one of four players to cross the ₹3 lakh mark in a highly contested auction
League expands to eight teams with the addition of Kolkata Hawks and Gujarat Wolves reinforcing GEPL’s evolution into a structured, franchise-led sports and entertainment ecosystem
JetSynthesys, a global leader in digital entertainment and technology, has concluded the player auction for the third season of the Global e-Cricket Premier League (GEPL), World’s Only Franchise Based E-Cricket League, with 56 players sold across eight franchises for a combined ₹62.75 lakh. The most competitive auction to date saw four players cross the ₹3 lakh mark, with all-rounder Jetha Ram emerging as the most expensive player in the league’s three-season history at ₹3.50 lakh.
It arrives as GEPL expands to eight full franchises with the addition of Kolkata Hawks (owned by music icon Sonu Nigam) and Gujarat Wolves (owned by veteran esports player Scout – Tanmay Singh), marking a milestone in the league’s journey into a mainstream, franchise-led sports and entertainment property. The league is powered by Real Cricket™, the world’s most downloaded mobile cricket simulation game with over 400 million lifetime downloads, giving GEPL a direct pipeline into one of the largest cricket gaming communities globally. It will be held at the the Jairaj Sports & Convention Centre, Pune, from August 1 to August 9.
Rajan Navani, Chairman, JetSynthesys, said, “This year’s auction reflects the growing maturity of India’s ecricket sports ecosystem, with rising player valuations and stronger franchise participation showcasing the potential of e-cricket as a mainstream sports format. GEPL has always been envisioned as more than a tournament; it is a platform to create livelihood opportunities for esports athletes and build long-term value in the ecosystem. Our ambition is to further scale this globally relevant digital entertainment IP from India that brings together technology, entertainment, and the country’s passion for cricket.”
Each of GEPL’s eight franchises entered the auction with one marquee player already retained and seven roster slots to fill, taking the league’s total player pool to 64 across the eight teams. Against a combined purse of ₹64 lakh. The auction’s defining moment came when Mumbai Grizzlies secured Jetha Ram for ₹3.50 lakh, making him the most expensive player in GEPL’s history.
This was followed by Sagar Aanjana, acquired by Pune Stallions for ₹3.40 lakh, Sachin Chavan, picked up by Hyderabad Rhinos for ₹3.30 lakh, and Golden Kumar, who joins new franchise Kolkata Hawks for ₹3.10 lakh. Bengaluru Badgers retained Soumyadipta Biswas for ₹2.70 lakh, rounding out the season’s five most valuable acquisitions.
Notably, four of the five moved to new franchises this season, a pattern that reflects the growing fluidity and competitiveness of the esports player market as teams actively pursue proven performers rather than rebuild around past-season line-ups.
Jogesh Lulla, Senior Vice President – Sports, JetSynthesys, said, “The GEPL Season 3 auction is a reflection of the larger shift underway in India’s esports ecosystem, where competitive video gaming is moving from passion to profession. The growing value placed on players demonstrates that esports athletes today have the opportunity to build sustainable careers through structured platforms, much like traditional sports. With expanded teams, deeper franchise participation and record player valuations, GEPL is building a long-term ecosystem that gives India’s next generation of digital athletes a platform to grow.”
Backed by a marquee ownership roster including Sonu Nigam (Kolkata Hawkers), Scout (Gujarat Wolves), Sara Tendulkar (Mumbai Grizzlies), Suniel Shetty (Pune Stallions), Peyush Bansal (Delhi Sharks), Nikhil Kamath, Ankit Nagori and Prashanth Prakash (Bengaluru Badgers), Gopal Srinivasan, Madhusudanan R and Arjun Santhanakrishnan (Chennai Falcons) and Amit Mehta (Hyderabad Rhinos), GEPL continues to strengthen its position as a franchise-led esports property. Season 2 generated over 174 million impressions through its broadcast on Star Sports, while Season 3 builds further with an expanded eight-team competition, ₹3.1 crore prize pool, and continued broadcast partnerships with Star Sports and JioHotstar.