As the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) auction approaches, excitement has spiked with the recent reveal of the player retention lists. The 10 IPL franchises made strategic decisions on retained and released players, with a few headlining surprises. Among the retained, Heinrich Klaasen of SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) set a new record, securing an unprecedented INR 23 crore.
Former RCB skipper Virat Kohli also broke the bank as he took a staggering retention amount of INR 21 crore. Meanwhile, in an interesting turn of events, captains KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, Faf du Plessis and Shreyas Iyer have been released by their respective teams, creating major opportunities in the upcoming auction.
Among notable player movements, Mumbai Indians (MI) chose not to retain star wicketkeeper, Ishan Kishan, signalling a shift in their strategy, while Chennai Super Kings (CSK) retained MS Dhoni as an uncapped player for INR 4 crore, ensuring the legendary captain's presence in yellow for another season.
Franchise Retentions and Auction Purses
Mumbai Indians, known for their stalwart roster, have held onto big names like Jasprit Bumrah (INR 18 crore), Suryakumar Yadav (INR 16.35 crore), Hardik Pandya (INR 16.35 crore), Rohit Sharma (INR 16.3 crore) and Tilak Verma (INR 11 crore). With a purse of INR 45 crore, MI heads into the auction with room for further strategic acquisitions and a single Right-to-Match (RTM) card.
SunRisers Hyderabad, aside from their record-breaking retention of Klaasen, have retained Pat Cummins (INR 18 crore) and Abhishek Sharma (INR 14 crore). SRH has INR 45 crore left in their auction budget and one RTM, positioning them as aggressive players in the auction. They also retained Travis Head and Nitish Kumar Reddy for INR 14 and 6 crore respectively.
Punjab Kings, with the highest remaining purse of INR 110.5 crore, retained just two uncapped players, Shashank Singh (INR 5.5 crore) and Prabhsimran Singh (INR 4 crore). With four RTM cards, Punjab is well-equipped to make substantial moves in the auction. Their released roster includes marquee names such as Arshdeep Singh and Sam Curran, indicating they may be aiming for a new core lineup in 2025.
RCB, along with Kohli, retained Rajat Patidar (INR 11 crore) and Yash Dayal (INR 5 crore), leaving them with an INR 83 crore auction purse and three RTMs. Released players include former captain Faf du Plessis, pacer Mohammed Siraj and power-hitter Glenn Maxwell, a strategy hinting at a youthful rebuild.
Strategic Retentions and Notable Absences
Chennai Super Kings made headlines by holding onto their seasoned players Ruturaj Gaikwad (INR 18 crore), Matheesha Pathrirana (INR 13 crore), Shivam Dube (INR 12 crore), Ravindra Jadeja (INR 18 crore), and MS Dhoni (INR 4 Crore), the latter retained as an uncapped player.
Meanwhile, Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) stunned fans by releasing skipper KL Rahul, a decision that could invite new leadership within the squad. With players like Nicholas Pooran (INR 21 crore) and Ravi Bishnoi (INR 11 crore) retained, LSG heads to the auction with INR 69 crore and a single RTM. They have retained Mayank Yadav, Ayush Badoni and Mohsin Khan also.
The Road Ahead: Anticipating Auction Drama
As franchises prepare to bid on high-value released players and hunt for emerging talent, the 2025 IPL auction promises to be a spectacle. With franchises recalibrating strategies and looking to bring in fresh faces, fans can expect competitive bidding wars, especially for high-profile names like Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, and Jos Buttler. Notably, star bowlers like Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Shami, Ravichandran Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, and Mohammed Siraj will also be available in the IPL auction 2025.