Andhra Premier League 2025: A comprehensive breakdown of all squads

The Andhra Premier League (APL) Season 4 has just concluded its auction very recently on July 14. Unlike the previous seasons, the tournament is set to be bigger and better, featuring some iconic new talent. The auction saw an astronomical surge in the number of players that were drafted in the auction this year. The player pool saw a meteoric expansion of 430 players since last year. In addition, the fourth season is set to feature seven, instead of six teams. 

In a first, the APL have implemented a new youth inclusion rule, mandating franchises to feature youngsters from the U16 and U19 state levels in a bid to nurture young talent. With a total of 520 players available and seven franchises actively participating, the auction experienced fierce competition, with franchises particularly showing a keen interest in adaptable all-rounders and regional talents. As the dust settles on the grand auction, we take a deep dive and analyse the newly formed squads and their potential ahead of the upcoming fourth APL season.

See also: WCL 2025: Mr. 360 Returns as South Africa Captain, Full List of Team Leaders Revealed

Amaravati Royals

Hanuma Vihari was retained as the marquee player and has been appointed captain for APL 2025. Vihari is a Test specialist batsman with solid experience, known for anchoring the innings and making useful contributions in the field. As captain, he brings leadership and composure. Amaravati Royals signed up Korukonda Budda Ram Durgesh Naidu, a promising young all-rounder, for ₹40,000. Y. Sandeep, B. Vinay Kumar, and Karan Shinde were the other three players who were acquired by the franchise. Both Vinay and Karan are experienced domestic cricketers from Andhra. Vinay Kumar is a solid middle-order bat, while Shinde adds depth and versatility. 

The team comprises 7–8 core squad members retained or auctioned publicly, likely supplemented by several more Grade C picks to reach the typical squad size of 18–20. A combination of experience (Vihari) and promising youth (Naidu) offers a balanced attack. However, the team may face challenges in its bowling department as there is limited visibility on frontline pace/spin options.

Vijayawada Sunrisers

Ashwin Hebbar was retained as the captain, along with Y. Prithvi Raj, M. Dheeraj Kumar, M. Vamsi Krishna, A. Lalith Mohan, V. Vasu, and K. S. N. Raju. Hebbar is a veteran Andhra domestic all-rounder and has developed a knack for delivering consistent performances. In APL 2024, he was the leading run‑scorer with 456 runs at an average of over 90 and a strike rate of 92 across 8 innings. Besides, he is also a handy off-spinner who can get through some overs to preserve his ace bowlers. Vamsi Krishna is an emerging Andhra cricketer featured among franchise sign‐ups, likely a Category B or C pick, offering batting depth or spin options. Y. Prithvi Raj and M. Dheeraj Kumar fared formidably well in the last domestic season for Andhra and were previously drafted in Category A in APL 2024.

Vijayawada's spin-prone approach could turn out to be an ideal ploy on slow rank-turners in Visakhapatnam. Hebbar’s form and leadership provide a reliable backbone, whereas their middle order seems relatively secure with experienced Andhra men. However, a lack of standout fast bowlers and explosive pinch-hitters may leave the team exposed during crunch matches. 

Royals of Rayalaseema

Shaik Rasheed has been appointed captain of the Royals of Rayalaseema for APL 2025. Furthermore, the franchise has also made key acquisitions in the form of Pyla Avinash, P. Girinath Reddy, D. B. Prashanth Kumar, J. Saketh Ram, and S. Ashish. Pyla Avinash fetched the highest bid of ₹11.05 lakh (non‑marquee) in the auction among non‑marquee players, indicating strong demand for his talent. Rasheed is a productive batsman with improved power-hitting in recent APL editions. Highly regarded for his dynamic strokeplay and match-winning potential. Pyla is a rising Andhra star and has impressed us all with a rapid 105 off 58 balls in the recent APL season. He also represented Andhra in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and caught eyes with consistent performance across formats. 

High-value auction picks like Avinash and Girinath reflect internal belief in impact potential. The team features a cautious blend of emerging stars and domestic stalwarts. However, concerns linger around frontline pace/spin bowling options that are not fully clear at this stage.

Simhadri Vizag Lions

Ricky Bhui has been retained as the marquee player and appointed captain for the Simhadri Vizag Lions in APL 2025, at a base cost of ₹10 lakh. Bhui is a top-order batsman from Andhra, who has experience in IPL (Delhi Capitals, Sunrisers Hyderabad). He brings consistency, experience in captaincy, and the ability to anchor innings. The other key acquisitions made by the franchise came in the form of Tripuran Vijay (T. Vijay) and Kasturi Haneesh Veera Reddy for ₹7.55 lakh and ₹42,000 respectively. Tripuran is a recent Category A purchase, and Vijay adds batting depth. While detailed stats are limited, his high auction price (₹7.55 lakh) reflects team confidence in his performance capability. Kasturi is an emerging youth talent, selected under the youth quota. Represents future potential and compliance with league regulations.

Ricky Bhui’s experience and consistency, coupled with his ability to anchor the innings, add value to the squad. While batting top-up looks solid, questions remain about bowling attack strength and depth. With full budget leveraged at the auction, the team appears prepared, but much hinges on the unnamed squad members and their performance in the league.

Tungabhadra Warriors

Kodi Venkata Sasikanth was retained as the marquee player and captain of the Tungabhadra Warriors for APL 2025, with a signing value of ₹10 lakh. In addition, the franchise also made some notable purchases in the form of Sourabh Kumar for ₹8.8 lakh, Allareddy Arhith for ₹1 lakh, and Kancherla Anand Josiah for ₹60,000. The Tungabhadra skipper has a formidable domestic record for Andhra in FC cricket and is expected to contribute heavily with bat and possibly overs as a medium-pacer or all-rounder. C. H. Stephen was retained as a Top Category A player for his consistency. His inclusion bolsters the middle-order batting depth and gives the team a plethora of part-time bowling options to work with.

Tungabhadra Warriors have a balanced core squad comprising Marquee, Category A talent, and high-value auction picks. However, the team may be lacking in having an adequate number of death overs specialist resources. Moreover, concerns also loom around their lack of clear star hitters.

Kakinada Kings

K. S. Bharat, a seasoned wicket‑keeper batsman for Andhra and an IPL veteran, will anchor the side as the marquee/retained leader. Bharat's experience with the national side makes him a fierce competitor. The veteran keeper‑batter with extensive IPL and domestic experience can provide stability in the middle order and is likely to be a leadership figure both on and off the field. G. Manish & P. Tapaswi are probable Category  A or B buys. The former will operate as a middle-order batter while the latter will possibly serve as a pace or spin resource from Andhra’s domestic pool. K. P. Sai Rahul, Sheikh Kamaruddin, Lekhaj Reddy & S. H. Srinivas will fulfill the filling roles across the batting and bowling departments. 

While KS Bharat is a strong leader at the helm, it remains to be seen whether the franchise has any picks who can play the role of a finisher. Besides, key specialist bowlers are unconfirmed, creating uncertainty around pace and spin strength.

Bhimavaram Bulls

Indian Test all‑rounder, Nitish Kumar Reddy, has been retained as a marquee player and will be leading the franchise in the APL 4 season. Apart from Reddy, P. V. Satyanarayana Raju, M. Hari Shankar Reddy, and M. Hemanth Reddy are the other players who have been confirmed by the franchise. P. V. Satyanarayana Raju was the top auction buy for Bhimavaram Bulls, fetched at ₹9.8 lakh—a significant investment reflecting his value as a key all-rounder. M. Hari Shankar Reddy and M. Hemanth Reddy were auctioned as Grade A players, complementing the core group.

Nitish is a proven domestic all-rounder with credible IPL experience and is currently on India’s England tour. He anchors the team as a well-rounded leader. M. Hari Shankar Reddy & M. Hemanth Reddy are high-value Grade A players contributing to batting depth or bowling options, as per Andhra domestic cricket pools. Solid leadership under Nitish Kumar Reddy, backed by consistent domestic performance and leadership experience, is one of the core strengths for Bhimavaram Bulls, leading into the upcoming APL season. However, at this stage, there is limited visibility around specialist bowling options, especially fast bowlers or frontline spinners.