As the countdown to the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) season begins, all ten franchises have officially unveiled their retention lists in anticipation of the mega auction set to take place before the year’s end. This year’s retention process has generated considerable buzz among fans and analysts, as franchises decide which players will don their jerseys again and which stars will enter the auction pool.
Leading the retention stakes, Heinrich Klaasen emerged as the highest-paid player, with Sunrisers Hyderabad committing a substantial ₹23 crore for his services. Not far behind, Virat Kohli and Nicholas Pooran were retained by Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) respectively, each fetching ₹21 crore. These hefty contracts underscore the franchises’ strategies in building competitive teams for the upcoming season.
Conversely, the auction will also see several big-name players seeking new teams. Among the most surprising releases is Rishabh Pant, a key figure for the Delhi franchise, who has been confirmed as released. Other notable names exiting their franchises include KL Rahul, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) title-winning captain Shreyas Iyer, and fast bowler Arshdeep Singh. High-profile overseas players such as Jos Buttler and Glenn Maxwell also find themselves in the auction pool, increasing the stakes for the upcoming event.
The Punjab Kings retained the fewest players, leading to a massive auction budget of ₹110.5 crore, the highest among all teams. RCB follows with ₹83 crore, while Delhi Capitals will have ₹73 crore to bolster their squad. KKR and Rajasthan Royals will enter the auction with six players already retained, but Rajasthan’s budget stands at only ₹41 crore with no Right to Match (RTM) options available.
In more detail, the Mumbai Indians retained five players, including Jasprit Bumrah for ₹18 crore and Rohit Sharma for ₹16.30 crore, leaving them with ₹55 crore in their purse. On the other hand, the Chennai Super Kings also retained five players, with Ruturaj Gaikwad and Ravindra Jadeja each earning ₹18 crore. They too have ₹55 crore remaining to spend.
Royal Challengers Bangalore opted to retain three players, with Virat Kohli at the forefront earning ₹21 crore, while they maintain a purse of ₹83 crore. The Delhi Capitals retained four players, most notably Axar Patel for ₹16.5 crore, but they will have to navigate the auction with ₹73 crore after releasing star player Rishabh Pant.
Kolkata Knight Riders made significant moves by retaining six players, including Rinku Singh and Andre Russell, yet they will operate with a purse of ₹51 crore. Meanwhile, Lucknow Super Giants secured five players, with Nicholas Pooran leading the charge at ₹21 crore and leaving them with ₹69 crore to spend.
Sunrisers Hyderabad retained five key players, notably Heinrich Klaasen for ₹23 crore and Pat Cummins for ₹18 crore, leaving them with ₹45 crore in their auction budget. The Gujarat Titans have retained five players, including Rashid Khan for ₹18 crore, while they hold ₹69 crore for the auction.
The Punjab Kings kept only two players, focusing on their auction strategy with a hefty budget of ₹110.5 crore, which allows for extensive acquisition opportunities. Finally, the Rajasthan Royals retained six players, with Sanju Samson and Yashasvi Jaiswal each getting ₹18 crore, yet they will approach the auction with only ₹41 crore.
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