Explosive wicketkeeper-batters who score big hundreds attract IPL franchises immediately. Salil Arora did exactly that during recent domestic tournaments brilliantly. The 23-year-old from Punjab smashes boundaries with impressive consistency. His unbeaten 125 against Jharkhand turned every head watching. This season marks his entry into cricket’s most prestigious league.
Salil Arora: Punjab’s Run Machine
Salil Arora represents Punjab in domestic cricket across all formats. The Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025 became his showcase tournament. He topped Punjab’s run charts with 359 runs from 9 matches. That made him their highest run-scorer during the competition clearly.
His unbeaten 125 against Jharkhand on December 12 stood out particularly. Such knocks at the domestic level force IPL teams to notice. He followed that with an unbeaten 42 against Andhra Pradesh next. A quick-fire 50 off 29 balls against Madhya Pradesh came after.
First-class cricket has seen him play 9 matches so far. Those games brought him 458 runs across 14 innings played. Consistent performances across formats prove his batting abilities beyond doubt.
His IPL Price Details
Sunrisers Hyderabad won the bidding war for Salil Arora. They paid ₹1.50 crore to secure his services finally. This massive IPL amount exceeded his base by five times. The amount made him SRH’s most expensive buy so far.
His salary jumped from ₹30 lakh to ₹1.50 crore quickly. Such increases show how much the franchise valued him clearly. The IPL price reflects his recent domestic performances completely.
His IPL Team Opportunity
Salil joins Sunrisers Hyderabad for the 2026 season ahead. His IPL team features Pat Cummins as captain and leader. He’ll reunite with his Punjab friend Abhishek Sharma there happily. Playing alongside familiar faces helps young players settle faster.
The team expects him to provide explosive starts during powerplays. His wicketkeeping gives them flexibility in squad selection always.
Auction Bidding War Erupts
Salil Arora’s base price was set at just ₹30 lakh for IPL 2026. However, a competitive bidding war erupted during the auction. Multiple franchises wanted this explosive wicketkeeper-batter desperately then. His recent form made him incredibly attractive to SRH.
Wicketkeepers who bat aggressively in the top order remain highly valued. Franchises need such players who provide quick starts consistently. His keeping skills add another valuable dimension to any lineup.
