The return of the Right-to-Match (RTM) option in the IPL, with an added twist, has added complexity to the upcoming mega auction in November. The Governing Council’s decision has left the 10 franchises strategizing over potential player retentions. With limited spots available for retention, teams must decide who will make the cut and who they will try to retain through the RTM.
Kolkata Knight Riders, the defending champions, are faced with an abundance of talent to retain. Teams can hold on to six players, including a maximum of five capped players (both Indian and overseas) and two uncapped Indian players. For KKR, key names include Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Shreyas Iyer, Rinku Singh, Mitchell Starc, Harshit Rana, and Varun Chakravarthy.
The franchise is almost guaranteed to retain Russell, Narine, and Rinku. Although Iyer had a less-than-stellar 2024 season with the bat, his leadership as captain remains crucial. Among uncapped players, Harshit Rana might make his international debut in India’s T20I series against Bangladesh, adding another dimension to KKR’s dilemma. KKR is likely to use the RTM for Varun Chakravarthy, given his consistent performances in previous seasons.
Sunrisers Hyderabad, the 2016 champions, seem to have fewer concerns regarding their retentions. Travis Head, Heinrich Klaasen, Pat Cummins, and Abhishek Sharma are among their top picks. The franchise is also expected to use RTM for experienced Indian bowlers Bhuvneshwar Kumar and T Natarajan.
Chennai Super Kings have benefited from the revival of the ‘uncapped player’ rule. The five-time champions are likely to retain captain Ruturaj Gaikwad and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja. Although MS Dhoni is expected to stay, the former India captain will take a pay cut, moving from INR 12 crore in 2021 to INR 4 crore in 2025 under the new IPL rule. CSK may also consider using RTM for Matheesha Pathirana or Shivam Dube.
Mumbai Indians face some tricky decisions. Suryakumar Yadav and Jasprit Bumrah are likely retentions, and after naming Hardik Pandya as captain last season, they are not expected to let him go. Speculation surrounds Rohit Sharma’s future with MI, given reports of tension following Hardik’s appointment. However, letting go of a T20 World Cup-winning captain would be risky, so MI might retain Rohit as well. Additionally, they could use the RTM for Ishan Kishan and Tilak Varma or retain uncapped players like Nehal Wadhera and Nama Dhir.
Rajasthan Royals face a retention dilemma with options like Sanju Samson, Jos Buttler, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel, Riyan Parag, Rovman Powell, Yuzvendra Chahal, and Ravichandran Ashwin. The team is likely to retain Samson, Buttler, Jaiswal, and Chahal, while they could use RTM for Parag or consider keeping Sandeep Sharma as an uncapped player.
Virat Kohli is a certain retention for Royal Challengers Bangalore, but questions remain about captain Faf du Plessis, Yash Dayal, Mohammed Siraj, and Glenn Maxwell, who had a difficult 2024 season. While Faf’s role as a top-order batsman might secure his retention, his future as captain is uncertain, given his age.
With Ricky Ponting taking over as head coach, Punjab Kings are looking for a new beginning. Liam Livingstone and Arshdeep Singh are likely to be retained, along with uncapped players Shashank Singh and Ashutosh Sharma. PBKS seems less likely to use the RTM option during the auction.
A big question for LSG is whether they will retain KL Rahul. Rumors suggest tension between Rahul and team co-owner Sanjeev Goenka, especially after a viral video from the 2024 season. While Goenka has remained quiet on the issue, Rahul’s future with the franchise remains uncertain. However, Nicholas Pooran is almost certain to be retained, and LSG might also consider Ravi Bishnoi.
Delhi Capitals are likely to retain their T20 World Cup-winning trio: Rishabh Pant, Axar Patel, and Kuldeep Yadav. Australian opener Jake Fraser-McGurk is also expected to make the list.
For Gujarat Titans, Shubman Gill and Rashid Khan are sure bets for retention. Under the uncapped player rule, Sai Sudharsan and Mohit Sharma are likely to be retained as well. The franchise will need to make decisions between David Miller, Rahul Tewatia, and Mohammed Shami for further retentions.
