Aakash Chopra predicts SRH’s likely retentions for IPL 2025. (Photo Source: YouTube/X/Twitter)
There is a rising buzz concerning the players who would be retained by various franchises, with the mega-auction for the 18th edition of the Indian Premier League nearing. Various cricketing pundits have given their respective hypothesis with respect to the same, with former India cricketer, Aakash Chopra, becoming part of the blend.
Chopra opined that the Sunrisers Hyderabad will go ahead with retaining their opening pair, along with their skipper and Klaasen.
“They (SRH) will retain Travis Head, Pat Cummins, Heinrich Klaasen and Abhishek Sharma. I think these four should be retained because you cannot let them go anywhere. They have a destructive team. Both left-handed openers come and hit sixes, and then Heinrich Klaasen comes and destroys,” Chopra replied to a comment on his YouTube channel.
Speaking further on the topic, he felt that Markram might be a tentative case for SRH and that he might not be retained, foreseeing the similar fate for veteran pacer, Bhuvneshwar Kumar.
“Aiden Markram – how many overseas will you be able to keep? Don’t know what rule is going to come about the number of overseas that can be retained. They will definitely try to retain these three or four names. I don’t think you will retain Bhuvi because it’s a three-year game. I feel the auction and retention are going to be very interesting this time,” mentioned Chopra.
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Will let Marsh, Warner go from DC: Chopra
In the same video, the ex-Delhi state player had a say on the list of players that the Delhi Capitals would end up retaining as well.
“Axar (Patel), Rishabh Pant, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Khaleel (Ahmed) maybe, and Kuldeep (Yadav) – that’s it. So Axar, Kuldeep, Rishabh, and Jake Fraser-McGurk, and then depending on how many you have,” said Chopra.
He also felt that the Australian duo of Mitch Marsh and David Warner should be released.
“Khaleel is there and Mukesh (Kumar) is there. I will let both Mitchell Marsh and David Warner go. Why worry about it? That’s what I feel,” noted Chopra.
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Coming back after a prolonged period of 15 months, Pant was the leading run-getter for DC with 446 runs in 13 innings at an impressive stike rate of 155.40 in IPL 2024. The Indian pair of Mukesh Kumar and Khaleel Ahmed ended the same season with 17 wickets apiece, with the former playing four games less than the left-arm pacer.