SHOCKER! Check out what each team retained ahead of IPL 2025
- arjunveersingh
- Nov 4, 2024
- 4 min read

The buzz for IPL 2025 is already building as franchises reveal their player retentions, setting the stage for a high-stakes mega auction. Here’s a look at some of the key retention moves and what they mean for each team’s strategy in the upcoming season.
Mumbai Indians
Mumbai retained five key players, with Jasprit Bumrah leading as the highest-paid player (INR 18 crore) and Hardik Pandya taking over as captain. By retaining core players like Suryakumar Yadav and Rohit Sharma, MI has kept its foundation strong, with INR 45 crore left for new additions.
Retained Players: Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya (captain), Rohit Sharma, Tilak Varma
Purse Left: INR 45 crore
Big Names Not Retained: Ishan Kishan, Tim David
Right-to-Match (RTM): 1 (one uncapped player)
Sunrisers Hyderabad
SRH’s surprise top retention was Heinrich Klaasen at a record INR 23 crore. The team retained a mix of talent, including Pat Cummins and Abhishek Sharma, while letting go of some notable Indian stars. With INR 45 crore still in hand, SRH is positioned to make impactful additions.
Retained Players: Heinrich Klaasen, Pat Cummins, Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, Nitish Kumar Reddy
Purse Left: INR 45 crore
Big Names Not Retained: Washington Sundar, T Natarajan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar
RTM: 1 (one uncapped player)
Chennai Super Kings
MS Dhoni stays on for another season at a surprisingly low INR 4 crore, utilizing a revived rule for uncapped players. CSK retained players like Ruturaj Gaikwad and Ravindra Jadeja, leaving them INR 55 crore to reinforce their lineup post-Dhoni era.
Retained Players: Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ravindra Jadeja, Matheesha Pathirana, Shivam Dube, MS Dhoni
Purse Left: INR 55 crore
Big Names Not Retained: Devon Conway, Rachin Ravindra, Deepak Chahar
RTM: 1 (capped or uncapped player)
Royal Challengers Bangalore
RCB retained only three players, including Virat Kohli at INR 21 crore. This minimal retention gives them a massive INR 83 crore at the auction, potentially signaling a strategic overhaul and a potential return of Kohli as captain.
Retained Players: Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar, Yash Dayal
Purse Left: INR 83 crore
Big Names Not Retained: Glenn Maxwell, Mohammed Siraj, Faf du Plessis
RTM: 3 (up to three capped players or one uncapped player)
Delhi Capitals
With Rishabh Pant not retained, DC enters the season with a leadership vacuum. Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav anchor the squad, but a solid INR 73 crore in their auction purse will allow DC to pursue new talent or potentially buy back Pant.
Retained Players: Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Tristan Stubbs, Abishek Porel
Purse Left: INR 73 crore
Big Names Not Retained: Rishabh Pant, David Warner, Anrich Nortje
RTM: 2 (one uncapped player and one capped player)
Kolkata Knight Riders
KKR retained six players, including fan-favorites Rinku Singh and Andre Russell. With 51 crore left, KKR will need to replace high-impact players like Shreyas Iyer and Mitchell Starc.
Retained Players: Rinku Singh, Varun Chakravarthy, Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, Harshit Rana, Ramandeep Singh
Purse Left: INR 51 crore
Big Names Not Retained: Shreyas Iyer, Mitchell Starc, Phil Salt
RTM: None
Rajasthan Royals
RR kept a batting-heavy roster, with Sanju Samson, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Riyan Parag among the top retentions. With only one bowler retained, RR has INR 41 crore to balance their squad and add bowling depth.
Retained Players: Sanju Samson, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel, Shimron Hetmyer, Sandeep Sharma
Purse Left: INR 41 crore
Big Names Not Retained: Yuzvendra Chahal, Jos Buttler, R Ashwin
RTM: None
Gujarat Titans
GT held onto five players, including Rashid Khan and Shubman Gill. With Mohammed Shami not retained due to injury, they have INR 69 crore to focus on securing a quality pace attack.
Retained Players: Rashid Khan, Shubman Gill, Sai Sudharsan, Rahul Tewatia, Shahrukh Khan
Purse Left: INR 69 crore
Big Names Not Retained: Mohammed Shami, David Miller
RTM: 1 (one capped player)
Lucknow Super Giants
LSG’s bold move of not retaining KL Rahul leaves a captaincy gap. Nicholas Pooran, at INR 21 crore, leads the list of retentions, with INR 69 crore available for new signings to build around their strong core.
Retained Players: Nicholas Pooran, Ravi Bishnoi, Mayank Yadav, Mohsin Khan, Ayush Badoni
Purse Left: INR 69 crore
Big Names Not Retained: KL Rahul, Marcus Stoinis, Quinton de Kock
RTM: 1 (one capped player)
Punjab Kings
PBKS made the fewest retentions, keeping only Shashank and Prabhsimran Singh, freeing up a massive INR 110.5 crore. They’ll need to build almost an entire squad, giving them flexibility and the highest auction power.
Retained Players: Shashank Singh, Prabhsimran Singh
Purse Left: INR 110.5 crore
Big Names Not Retained: Harshal Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Sam Curran
RTM: 4 (up to four capped players)
As the mega auction approaches, franchises will face tough decisions to craft winning squads. This retention window has already revealed a mix of loyalty, strategic depth, and preparation for a season brimming with new dynamics.