The journey to IPL 2025 has begun, as all ten franchises have announced their retention lists before the upcoming mega auction. While teams kept their core players, some high-profile cricketers were released, setting the stage for a competitive auction.
Among the retained players, Heinrich Klaasen leads as the top earner, with Sunrisers Hyderabad offering ₹23 crore to keep him. Close behind are Virat Kohli and Nicholas Pooran, who have been retained by RCB and LSG for ₹21 crore each.
On the other hand, certain teams made surprising cuts, releasing significant players such as Delhi’s Rishabh Pant and KKR’s Shreyas Iyer. Indian pacer Arshdeep Singh, alongside international stars Jos Buttler and Glenn Maxwell, will also be available in the auction, sparking interest across franchises.
Each franchise has entered this auction season with a different approach. Punjab Kings will have the largest purse at ₹110.5 crore, with minimal retentions, granting head coach Ricky Ponting a sizable budget. RCB follows with ₹83 crore after retaining only three players, while DC will have ₹73 crore.
In contrast, KKR and Rajasthan Royals retained six players each, giving them fewer options at the auction. Rajasthan’s limited funds of ₹41 crore might restrict their bidding, while KKR’s ₹51 crore could add depth to their squad.
Mumbai Indians
Retained: Jasprit Bumrah (₹18 cr), Suryakumar Yadav (₹16.35 cr), Hardik Pandya (₹16.35 cr), Rohit Sharma (₹16.30 cr), Tilak Varma (₹8 cr)
Purse Remaining: ₹55 crore
Key Players Released: Dewald Brevis, Ishan Kishan, Tim David, Arjun Tendulkar
Chennai Super Kings
Retained: Ruturaj Gaikwad (₹18 cr), Matheesha Pathirana (₹13 cr), Shivam Dube (₹12 cr), Ravindra Jadeja (₹18 cr), MS Dhoni (₹4 cr)
Purse Remaining: ₹55 crore
Key Players Released: Moeen Ali, Deepak Chahar, Mitchell Santner, Devon Conway
Royal Challengers Bangalore
Retained: Virat Kohli (₹21 cr), Rajat Patidar (₹11 cr), Yash Dayal (₹5 cr)
Purse Remaining: ₹83 crore
Key Players Released: Faf du Plessis, Glenn Maxwell, Mohammed Siraj, Cameron Green
Delhi Capitals
Retained: Axar Patel (₹16.5 cr), Kuldeep Yadav (₹13.25 cr), Tristan Stubbs (₹10 cr), Abhishek Porel (₹4 cr)
Purse Remaining: ₹73 crore
Key Players Released: Rishabh Pant, Prithvi Shaw, Anrich Nortje, David Warner
Kolkata Knight Riders
Retained: Rinku Singh (₹13 cr), Varun Chakaravarthy (₹12 cr), Sunil Narine (₹12 cr), Andre Russell (₹12 cr)
Purse Remaining: ₹51 crore
Key Players Released: Shreyas Iyer, Nitish Rana, Mitchell Starc, Jason Roy
Lucknow Super Giants
Retained: Nicholas Pooran (₹21 cr), Ravi Bishnoi (₹11 cr), Mayank Yadav (₹11 cr)
Purse Remaining: ₹69 crore
Key Players Released: KL Rahul, Quinton de Kock, Marcus Stoinis, Krunal Pandya
Sunrisers Hyderabad
Retained: Pat Cummins (₹18 cr), Abhishek Sharma (₹14 cr), Nitiesh Reddy (₹6 cr), Heinrich Klaasen (₹23 cr), Travis Head (₹14 cr)
Purse Remaining: ₹45 crore
Key Players Released: Aiden Markram, Marco Jansen, Umran Malik, Glenn Phillips
Gujarat Titans
Retained: Rashid Khan (₹18 cr), Shubman Gill (₹16.5 cr), Sai Sudharsan (₹8.5 cr)
Purse Remaining: ₹69 crore
Key Players Released: David Miller, Wriddhiman Saha, Matthew Wade, Kane Williamson
Punjab Kings
Retained: Shashank Singh (₹5.5 cr), Prabhsimran Singh (₹4 cr)
Purse Remaining: ₹110.5 crore
Key Players Released: Arshdeep Singh, Sam Curran, Kagiso Rabada, Harshal Patel
Rajasthan Royals
Retained: Sanju Samson (₹18 cr), Yashasvi Jaiswal (₹18 cr), Riyan Parag (₹14 cr)
Purse Remaining: ₹41 crore
Key Players Released: Jos Buttler, Ravichandran Ashwin, Trent Boult, Yuzvendra Chahal
With a mix of young domestic and international stars entering the auction, teams are expected to go all-out to fill key positions. Punjab, in particular, may use its significant funds to rebuild a fresh core. Other franchises with lower budgets will aim for strategic buys to complement their retained squads.
As the 2025 IPL season approaches, fans eagerly await the final line-ups that promise a season of excitement and talent-packed showdowns.
