IPL 2025 Retention & Auction Possibilities: Which players might be retained or released?
Every cricket fanatic is buzzing with the IPL theories in the last few days. Who is getting the biggest paycheck? Who will be released? Which team will target which player? There are questions all around as the IPL retention deadline draws closer.
The BCCI has made the life of franchise owners difficult with a tricky retention policy unless the team is Punjab Kings or Royal Challengers Bengaluru, who are expected to retain only a couple of players.
As per the rules, each team is allowed to retain a maximum of six players, out of which, one has to be uncapped, through a combination of retention or Right to Match cards. For example, if a franchise retains six players, it will have no RTMs at the auction. However, if a team decides to retain only two players, then they will have as many as four RTMs at the auction.
Each team has must have studied the rules carefully but each will have to figure out the best option. Teams like Sunrisers Hyderabad are relaxed, though. SRH have sorted out their retention plans as the franchise has reportedly spent INR INR 23 crore for Heinrich Klaasen and will also retain captain Pat Cummins and Abhishek Sharma in slot 2 and 3. They are also expected to retain Travis Head and Nitish Reddy.
However, not every franchise is as sorted as players themselves are eager to feature in the auction to maximise their market value. ;Plenty of franchises are on the verge of losing players as important as their captains. All in all, the auction is expected to be a grand cricketing festival. Ahead of that, here’s a list of some probable happenings:
5. KL Rahul to leave LSG
Lucknow Super Giants are likely to part ways with captain KL Rahul as the team management wants to start afresh and may look for a captain in the auction. There is a high possibility of Nicholas Pooran leading the side in the next cycle.
Meanwhile, multiple franchises are waiting to sign Rahul in the auction. At the top of that list are RCB, who have reportedly had a word with the keeper-batter, although signing a player at the auction can never be guaranteed.
Apart from RCB, Mumbai Indians are interested in Rahul. The franchise is set to release Ishan Kishan, which opens a spot for signing a wicketkeeper-batter who could bat at the top of the order. However, Mumbai are set to retain their core, which means they could have a significantly lower purse at the auction, making the signing of Rahul a difficult probability.
4. Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant in the auction
The discussion regarding Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant has intensified in the last couple of weeks. While both the players were expected to be retained initially, recent reports suggest that both are interested to come to the auction.
Shreyas, particularly, has discussed about a potential move with two franchises at least and there is a possibility of him reuniting with his former Delhi Capitals head coach, Ricky Ponting, at Punjab Kings. The other franchise interested in him is LSG.
Meanwhile, the Capitals want to retain Pant but the player and franchise have not come to a conclusion yet. It might be possible that Pant could go to the auction, where the likes of Chennai Super Kings would be eager to sign him.
3. Kohli and Rohit to captain?
Don’t be surprised if the ‘Ro-Ko’ pair is back to leading their respective franchises in the IPL. RCB may end up retaining Faf du Plessis but his captaincy is not fixed. The franchise is expected to go after KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant in the auction, if they are available. There is a tiny chance of Virat Kohli being back as RCB captain as the franchise is reportedly open for the idea.
Meanwhile, for the Mumbai Indians, who handed the captaincy baton to Hardik Pandya last year, the situation is slightly complex. Their decision to remove Rohit Sharma as the captain backfired as a large section of the fans were extremely unhappy.
In the end, their misery increased as Mumbai finished at the bottom of the points table. However, finishing 10th isn’t the reason why MI are considering bringing back Rohit. Last year, the franchise was criticised heavily and to win back the fans, they might hand over the captaincy to Rohit.
2. Several marquee international stars to be available in the auction
It is likely that Rajasthan Royals will be release Jos Buttler and try to retain him in auction by using RTM. as the franchise is not willing to spend INR 18 crore on him. The Royals might release Trent Boult as well.
On the other hand, RCB is likely to part ways with Glenn Maxwell as he has failed to live up to his potential in the last IPL. Bengaluru are expected to prefer Will Jacks and Rajat Patidar over him, who they can sign using the RTM cards.
Furthermore, Delhi Capitals are likely to part ways with David Warner. He has led the team in Rishabh Pant’s absence but given his age, the franchise could let him go. The likes of Kane Williamson and Steve Smith will also be available in the auction.
South Africa international Quinton de Kock is expected to be released by Lucknow Super Giants while the Aiden Markram, Wanindu Hasaranga, Josh Hazlewood, Kagiso Rabada, Jonny Bairstow, Liam Livingstone, Phil Salt, Jofra Archer, Shakib Al Hasan and Daryl Mitchell are set to be available as well.
Among Indians, apart from Rishabh and Shreyas, the likes of Arshdeep Singh, Mayank Agarwal, Ishan Kishan, Prithvi Shaw, Nitish Rana, Yuzvendra Chahal, Avesh Khan and Bhuvneshwar Kumar are likely to be available in the auction.
1. What about Ben Stokes, Mitchell Starc?
Mitchell Starc is set to be released by Kolkata Knight Riders. The franchise signed him for a record INR 24.75 crore but Starc had a middling season. However, it is not clear whether Starc will be a part of the auction of he is released. There are questions around England red-ball captain Ben Stokes’ as well. Stokes opted out of IPL 2024 owing to a knee injury and his participation in IPL 2025 is not confirmed.
Both Stokes and Starc are expected to play Champions Trophy 2024. Ahead of that, Starc will also feature in a five-match Test series against India. Will he risk coming to India for the IPL given that there’s Ashes at the end of the year? The same applies to Stokes, who is desperate to win the Ashes and might opt out of IPL 2025 to manage his workload.