Ahead of the highly anticipated IPL 2025 mega-auction, the ten IPL franchises have made their retention decisions, confirming which players they will keep for the next season. Mumbai Indians (MI), the five-time IPL champions, have unsurprisingly kept their core group intact, retaining key players like Jasprit Bumrah, Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya, and Suryakumar Yadav. Additionally, MI has made Bumrah their top retention, keeping him for a whopping INR 18 crore. The team has INR 45 crore left in their purse for the upcoming auction and will be looking to fill out the squad with additional talent.
For Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), the retention of Heinrich Klaasen for INR 23 crore is the big talking point. The South African wicketkeeper-batsman has emerged as the most expensive player retained across all franchises, even surpassing the likes of Virat Kohli and Nicholas Pooran. SRH have also held on to Pat Cummins, Abhishek Sharma, and Travis Head, keeping their squad competitive heading into IPL 2025.
In Chennai Super Kings’ (CSK) camp, MS Dhoni has been retained as an uncapped player for just INR 4 crore, thanks to a revived rule that allows players who haven’t played international cricket for five years to be considered as uncapped. CSK has also retained Ruturaj Gaikwad and Ravindra Jadeja as key members of their lineup.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), on the other hand, has made fewer retentions compared to others, holding onto only Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar, and Yash Dayal. With a purse of INR 83 crore left, RCB is expected to be active at the auction, with a particular focus on strengthening their squad with both capped and uncapped Indian players.
In Delhi Capitals’ (DC) camp, Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav are among the big retentions, but the notable omission is Rishabh Pant, leaving the franchise in need of a new captain heading into IPL 2025. DC has INR 73 crore remaining in their purse, which they’ll likely use to build a competitive squad around their retained players.
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) have both retained six players, with Rinku Singh emerging as KKR’s top retention for the first time. Rajasthan, meanwhile, has opted for a batting-heavy lineup with Sanju Samson and Yashasvi Jaiswal among their retained players.
Gujarat Titans (GT) have retained Rashid Khan and Shubman Gill as their star players but have not retained any fast bowlers, with Mohammed Shami left out due to injury concerns. Similarly, Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) have kept Nicholas Pooran and Ravi Bishnoi, but KL Rahul‘s omission means the team will be on the lookout for a new captain.
Finally, Punjab Kings (PBKS) has retained only two players — Shashank Singh and Prabhsimran Singh — giving them the largest purse for the upcoming auction at INR 110.5 crore. With a complete overhaul needed, PBKS will be looking to build a new squad around these young talents.
Key Takeaways:
- Mumbai Indians have retained their big four, with Bumrah becoming their top-paid player.
- Heinrich Klaasen is the most expensive retention, retained by SRH for INR 23 crore.
- MS Dhoni remains a key part of Chennai Super Kings at a bargain price of INR 4 crore.
- RCB has retained only three players, with a focus on building the rest of their squad at the auction.
- Several franchises, like Delhi Capitals and Punjab Kings, are preparing for significant changes with the loss of big names like Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul.
As the IPL 2025 Retained Players approaches, these retention decisions have made it clear which players will be at the heart of each team’s strategy. The next phase of squad-building will see franchises aiming to strengthen the areas where they feel the need for additional support, all while working within their available purse.
