New Delhi: The deadline has arrived for the ten franchises of the Indian Premier League (IPL) to submit their player retention lists, a crucial moment in their preparations. ipl 2025 Preparation for mega auction in the last week of November
By the end of October 31, the composition of the teams for the upcoming season will become clear as fans will know which players will remain with their current teams and who will enter the auction pool.
Franchises have the option to retain a maximum of six players, with a maximum of five capped players and a maximum of two uncapped Indian players.
With an increased purse limit of Rs 120 crore, which is 20% more than last year, all ten teams will assess the situation carefully.
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The cost of retaining players is predetermined, retaining five capped players would potentially reduce a team's budget by Rs 75 crore.
Teams opting for low retention have the strategic advantage of using Right to Match (RTM) cards during the auction, giving them the opportunity to reclaim their released players by matching the highest bid.
TimesofIndia.com takes a detailed look at each of the ten IPL franchises and their possible retentions ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction.
Franchise-wise IPL 2025 Retention:
1. Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)
KKR are expected to retain Sunil Narine and Andre Russell, two legends who have been synonymous with the franchise, as their first and second retentions. It is understood that the Kolkata-based team is yet to take a decision on whether to keep Varun Chakravarthy or Venkatesh Iyer or not. Although KKR is looking to let captain Shreyas Iyer go, retaining Ramandeep Singh and Harshit Rana will ensure all-round depth at a low cost. Rinku Singh will also be included in the cut.
expected retention, Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, Rinku Singh, Varun Chakraborty/Venkatesh Iyer, Ramandeep Singh, Harshit Rana
2. Delhi Capitals (DC)
TOI has already reported that Delhi Capitals will part ways with captain Rishabh Pant. He said, Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav will probably remain the main spinners of Delhi. Tristan Stubbs provides aggressive batting options in the middle-order, while Abhishek Porel provides wicket-keeping backup.
Expected Retention: Akshar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Tristan Stubbs, Abhishek Porel
3. Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB)
Indian cricket legend Virat Kohli is irreplaceable for RCB and his retention is certain. And TOI has already reported that he will once again take over the captaincy of RCB. The addition of a promising fast bowler Yash Dayal will strengthen RCB's bowling department for the upcoming season. With only two retentions, RCB is focused on reshaping its core through reshaping the team structure through the mega auction.
Expected Retention: Virat Kohli, Yash Dayal
4. Lucknow Super Giants (LSG)
2025 Retention List could be the end of the partnership between Lucknow Super Giants and KL Rahul. Nicholas Pooran's explosive batting and Ravi Bishnoi's spin magic have forced LSG to retain them to some extent. Young sensation Mayank Yadav provides the pace option, while Ayush Badoni brings his flair. Mohsin Khan will probably remain in the list because of his domestic ability.
Expected Retention: Nicholas Puran, Mayank Yadav, Ravi Bishnoi, Mohsin Khan, Ayush Badoni
5. Gujarat Titans (GT)
Ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction, GT is expected to retain its core group of players. Rashid Khan and Shubman Gill have reportedly accepted a pay cut to help the franchise retain its core, who are the backbone of Gujarat Titans. Sai Sudarshan has proved himself as a reliable batsman. Uncapped Shahrukh Khan and Rahul Tewatia provide finishing power and all-round ability, demonstrating a clear understanding of all the possibilities ahead of the mega auction.
Expected Retention: Rashid Khan, Shubman Gill, Sai Sudarshan, Shahrukh Khan, Rahul Tewatia
6. Chennai Super Kings (CSK)
MS Dhoni, the soul of CSK, will be retained as an uncapped player for the first time in the history of IPL. Captain Ruturaj Gaikwad and Ravindra Jadeja are expected to be included in this list. Mathiesha Pathirana has been exceptional with his bowling in the IPL and that is why CSK has no plans to part ways with the Sri Lankan.
Expected Retention: Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ravindra Jadeja, Mathisha Pathirana, MS Dhoni
7. Punjab Kings (PBKS)
PBKS may look to enter the auction with a bigger purse, so Arshdeep Singh will be one of their key retentions. Uncapped Shashank Singh, the gem of the season for PBKS last time out, will be the second retained at an affordable price, giving them flexibility in the auction.
Expected Retention: Arshdeep Singh, Shashank Singh
8. Mumbai Indians (mi)
Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya, Suryakumar Yadav and Jasprit Bumrah are indispensable in helping Mumbai retain their core group of Indian superstars. With no foreign names in the list, MI will likely retain either Tilak Verma or Ishan Kishan to maintain the Indian charm in the team.
Expected Retention: Hardik Pandya, Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Tilak Verma/Ishan Kishan
9. Rajasthan Royals (RR)
Captain Sanju Samson will continue to be the captain and leader of RR, which will give him a fixed retention. Yashasvi Jaiswal has emerged as one of the most promising young opening batsmen in Indian cricket, while Riyan Parag offers all-round value and long-term potential. These retentions will allow RR to maintain consistency while focusing on bowling reinforcements in the auction. RR fans will miss Jos Buttler in the list.
Expected Retention: Sanju Samson, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Riyan Parag
10. Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH)
With his performances in IPL 2024 and the subsequent T20 World Cup, Heinrich Klaasen has proved why he is an exceptional performer, making him an obvious choice for retention. Captain Pat Cummins brings leadership and all-round ability, while Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head add pace to the batting lineup. Nitish Kumar Reddy has a lot of potential and it appears that SRH is not ready to take a risk with him in the mega auction.
Expected Retention: Heinrich Klaasen, Pat Cummins, Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, Nitish Kumar Reddy
As the retention list is revealed, franchises are expected to preserve their core players while maintaining flexibility for the IPL 2025 mega auction.
Some teams, like MI and GT, are focusing on maintaining consistency, while others, like PBKS and RCB, are aiming to enter the auction with bigger purses to rebuild.