Cricket

IPL 2025 Mega Auction: Indian Superstars Hit the Market, MI Retains CoreAs the IPL gears up for its mega auction on November 24-25, three Indian superstars have become available for bidding after not being retained by their previous franchises. Rishabh Pant, Shreyas Iyer, and KL Rahul will join the auction pool, adding intrigue to the proceedings.Pant, who spent nine years with the Delhi Capitals, and Iyer, the title-winning captain of the Kolkata Knight Riders, are both highly sought-after leaders. Multiple teams, including DC, Punjab Kings, RCB, and LSG, are reportedly interested in Iyer's services.Meanwhile, the Mumbai Indians have retained their core Indian players, including captain Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav, and Rohit Sharma. Pandya will continue to lead the team despite their disappointing performance in 2024.The Delhi Capitals have retained Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, and South African batter Tristan Stubbs. If they fail to acquire Iyer in the auction, Axar may be considered for the captaincy role.The Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) have retained Nicholas Pooran as their top pick, while the Chennai Super Kings have retained MS Dhoni, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ravindra Jadeja, and Shivam Dube.The Sunrisers Hyderabad have broken the bank to retain Heinrich Klaasen for a whopping Rs 23 crore. They have also retained captain Pat Cummins, Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, and Nitish Reddy.The Rajasthan Royals have opted not to retain Jos Buttler, Trent Boult, Yuzvendra Chahal, and Ravichandran Ashwin. They have instead retained Sanju Samson, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Riyan Parag, and Shimron Hetmyer.The Gujarat Titans have retained Rashid Khan as their premium player, while Shubman Gill has taken a pay cut to stay with the team.The Royal Challengers Bangalore have retained Virat Kohli for Rs 21 crore but have released Faf du Plessis and Mohammed Siraj.The Punjab Kings have let go of Arshdeep Singh and will enter the auction with a substantial purse of Rs 110.5 crore.

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) have announced their retentions ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction, prioritizing players who embody a winning mindset and team-first attitude. The franchise's owner, Sanjiv Goenka, emphasized the importance of retaining a strong core within the available purse.LSG's most notable retention is Nicholas Pooran, who has been secured for INR 21 crore. Goenka described Pooran as an "automatic choice" due to his exceptional performances and leadership qualities. The Trinidadian wicketkeeper-batter was LSG's second-highest run-scorer in IPL 2024, amassing 499 runs at a blistering strike rate of 178.Alongside Pooran, LSG has retained three bowlers: Ravi Bishnoi, Mayank Yadav, and Mohsin Khan. Bishnoi and Khan are both young and promising Indian spinners, while Yadav impressed in his IPL debut season with his raw pace and ability to swing the ball.Ayush Badoni, a versatile middle-order batter, has also been retained by LSG. Despite a modest run tally in IPL 2024, the franchise sees him as a long-term prospect due to his adaptability and potential to contribute in various roles.LSG's decision not to retain KL Rahul, their former captain, has raised eyebrows. Rahul was the team's leading run-scorer in IPL 2024, but his departure is seen as a strategic move to free up salary space and allow the franchise to build a more balanced squad.With five players retained at a total cost of INR 51 crore, LSG has INR 69 crore remaining to spend at the mega auction. The franchise has one right-to-match option, which they can use to buy back one of their capped players if they are not picked up by another team.LSG's retentions reflect their commitment to building a competitive team that can challenge for the IPL title. By prioritizing players with a winning mindset and a team-first approach, the franchise hopes to create a cohesive unit that can achieve success in the upcoming season.

KL Rahul's Omission from Lucknow Super Giants Raises QuestionsAhead of the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season, the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) have made their player retentions, notably excluding star batter KL Rahul. This decision has sparked discussions and raised questions about the reasons behind Rahul's departure.LSG's retained players include Nicholas Pooran (Rs 21 crore), Ravi Bishnoi (Rs 11 crore), Mayank Yadav (Rs 11 crore), Mohsin Khan (Rs 4 crore), and Ayush Badoni (Rs 4 crore). Owner Sanjiv Goenka explained the team's retention strategy, emphasizing the importance of players who prioritize team success over personal aspirations."We wanted players who have a mindset to win, who put the team before their personal goals and personal aspirations," Goenka said. "Our first retention was an automatic choice, and we have two uncapped retentions in Mohsin Khan and Ayush Badoni."However, Goenka's comments have been met with criticism on social media, with many questioning the exclusion of Rahul, who has been a key player for LSG in the past. Some have suggested that Rahul's batting style, which has been criticized for its slow strike rate, may have influenced the decision.According to a source quoted by PTI, Rahul's batting style was indeed a factor in his non-retention. "Rahul's SR for three years with LSG is 136.13, 113.23, and 135.38," the source said. "In today's T20, when even the Indian team had to change its philosophy, these numbers weren't acceptable."Rahul's departure from LSG leaves a significant void in the team's batting lineup. He has been a consistent performer for the franchise, scoring 616 runs in 2022 and 520 runs in 2023. His leadership skills have also been praised, as he captained LSG to the playoffs in both seasons.It remains to be seen how LSG will fill the void left by Rahul's absence. The team will have the opportunity to acquire new players through the IPL auction, which is scheduled to take place in December 2024.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 retention window witnessed a flurry of high-value deals, with franchises shelling out record sums to secure the services of their star players. Among the most notable retentions were Virat Kohli and Heinrich Klaasen, who commanded the highest and second-highest retention amounts in IPL history, respectively.Kohli, the talismanic batter for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), was retained for a staggering Rs 21 crore. However, his record was eclipsed by Klaasen, the wicketkeeper-batter from South Africa, who was snapped up by SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) for a whopping Rs 23 crore. Klaasen's retention fee shattered the previous record held by Kohli, who was retained for Rs 17 crore in the 2023 IPL auction.Other players who commanded high retention amounts included Nicholas Pooran (Lucknow Super Giants), Pat Cummins (SRH), Sanju Samson (Rajasthan Royals), Yashasvi Jaiswal (RR), Rashid Khan (Gujarat Titans), Jasprit Bumrah (Mumbai Indians), Ruturaj Gaikwad (Chennai Super Kings), and Ravindra Jadeja (CSK), all of whom were retained for Rs 18 crore each.Interestingly, Punjab Kings opted for a more conservative approach, retaining only two players: Shashank Singh for Rs 5.5 crore and Prabhsimran Singh for Rs 4 crore. They were the only franchise to pay less than Rs 10 crore for their first-choice retention.Defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) retained six players, including Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, and Rinku Singh, who was surprisingly picked for Rs 13 crore.Each franchise had a combined purse of Rs 120 crore for retention and the mega auction. Teams could make a maximum of six retentions, including the Right To Match (RTM) card option. Alternatively, they could release all their players and enter the mega auction with six RTM cards, allowing them to buy back players at an unrestricted amount.

IPL 2025 Mega Auction: Retained Players and Purse DetailsAhead of the upcoming mega auction for the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) season, the ten franchises have finalized their retained players. Here's a detailed breakdown of the retained players, purse remaining, and right-to-match (RTM) options for each team:Mumbai Indians* Retained Players: Jasprit Bumrah (INR 18 crore), Suryakumar Yadav (INR 16.35 crore), Hardik Pandya (INR 16.35 crore), Rohit Sharma (INR 16.30 crore), Tilak Varma (INR 8 crore)* Purse Remaining: INR 45 crore* RTM Options: 1 (uncapped player)Sunrisers Hyderabad* Retained Players: Heinrich Klaasen (INR 23 crore), Pat Cummins (INR 18 crore), Abhishek Sharma (INR 14 crore), Travis Head (INR 14 crore), Nitish Kumar Reddy (INR 6 crore)* Purse Remaining: INR 45 crore* RTM Options: 1 (uncapped player)Chennai Super Kings* Retained Players: Ruturaj Gaikwad (INR 18 crore), Matheesha Pathirana (INR 13 crore), Shivam Dube (INR 12 crore), Ravindra Jadeja (INR 18 crore), MS Dhoni (INR 4 crore)* Purse Remaining: INR 65 crore* RTM Options: 1 (capped or uncapped player)Royal Challengers Bengaluru* Retained Players: Virat Kohli (INR 21 crore), Rajat Patidar (INR 11 crore), Yash Dayal (INR 5 crore)* Purse Remaining: INR 83 crore* RTM Options: 3 (one uncapped and two capped players, or three capped players)Delhi Capitals* Retained Players: Axar Patel (INR 16.50 crore), Kuldeep Yadav (INR 13.25 crore), Tristan Stubbs (INR 10 crore), Abishek Porel (INR 4 crore)* Purse Remaining: INR 73 crore* RTM Options: 2 (one uncapped and one capped player, or two capped players)Kolkata Knight Riders* Retained Players: Rinku Singh (INR 13 crore), Varun Chakravarthy (INR 12 crore), Sunil Narine (INR 12 crore), Andre Russell (INR 12 crore), Harshit Rana (INR 4 crore), Ramandeep Singh (INR 4 crore)* Purse Remaining: INR 51 crore* RTM Options: NoneLucknow Super Giants* Retained Players: Nicholas Pooran (INR 21 crore), Ravi Bishnoi (INR 11 crore), Mayank Yadav (INR 11 crore), Mohsin Khan (INR 4 crore), Ayush Badoni (INR 4 crore)* Purse Remaining: INR 69 crore* RTM Options: 1 (capped player)Punjab Kings* Retained Players: Shashank Singh (INR 5.5 crore), Prabhsimran Singh (INR 4 crore)* Purse Remaining: INR 110.5 crore* RTM Options: 4 (capped players)Rajasthan Royals* Retained Players: Sanju Samson (INR 18 crore), Yashasvi Jaiswal (INR 18 crore), Riyan Parag (INR 14 crore), Dhruv Jurel (INR 14 crore), Shimron Hetmyer (INR 11 crore), Sandeep Sharma (INR 4 crore)* Purse Remaining: INR 41 crore* RTM Options: None

Mumbai Indians (MI), the five-time Indian Premier League (IPL) champions, are gearing up for the upcoming IPL 2025 mega auction by retaining their core group of Indian players. The franchise has decided to retain Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav, and Tilak Varma.With these five capped players retained, MI will have limited options at the auction. They can only use their one right-to-match option on an uncapped player. The individual amounts for each retained player are yet to be disclosed, but MI is expected to lose at least INR 75 crore from their purse of INR 120 crore.MI had a disappointing IPL 2024 season, finishing at the bottom of the league under the leadership of Hardik Pandya. However, Hardik bounced back from poor personal form with significant contributions during India's successful 2024 T20 World Cup campaign. Despite his strong performance, Suryakumar Yadav was preferred as India's T20I captain after Rohit Sharma retired from the format.The MI management recently held discussions with their senior players to finalize the retention plan. The deadline for franchises to submit their lists of retained players is October 31. Teams are allowed to retain up to six players ahead of the mega auction, with a maximum of five capped internationals and two uncapped players.The IPL has set minimum deductions from the auction purse for each player retained, but franchises are free to pay more or less than those amounts. MI is expected to pay a significant amount to retain their star players, which will impact their spending at the auction.

Punjab Kings (PBKS) are set to retain only two uncapped players, Shashank Singh and Prabhsimran Singh, ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction. With the largest purse of over INR 100 crore and four right-to-match options, PBKS will enter the auction with significant financial flexibility.Despite their interest in retaining Arshdeep Singh, their second-highest wicket-taker in IPL 2024, PBKS has opted to release several high-profile players, including Harshal Patel, Sam Curran, Jitesh Sharma, Kagiso Rabada, Jonny Bairstow, and Liam Livingstone.The retention of Shashank and Prabhsimran, who were PBKS's top two scorers in IPL 2024, will cost the franchise INR 8 crore from their purse. Both batters played crucial roles in PBKS's record chase of 262 against Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens.PBKS has been struggling to qualify for the IPL playoffs since 2014 and has made significant changes to its coaching setup, appointing Ricky Ponting as head coach. The franchise hopes that these changes will improve their performance in 2025.The deadline for franchises to submit their lists of retained players is October 31. Teams can retain up to six players, with a maximum of five capped internationals and two uncapped players. While the IPL has set minimum deductions from the auction purse for each retained player, franchises are free to pay more or less than those amounts.

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are planning for the future without their iconic wicket-keeper batter MS Dhoni. The five-time IPL champions have identified India star Rishabh Pant as their top target in the IPL 2025 auction.Dhoni is expected to be retained by CSK as an 'uncapped player' under the new rule. However, the franchise is looking at a long-term plan. According to the Indian Express, Pant has emerged as the top pick for CSK. The franchise is keen on acquiring Pant if he enters the auction pool.CSK has decided to retain skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad, Sri Lankan fast bowler Matheesha Pathirana, and Dhoni. The decision on all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja will depend on Pant's situation at Delhi Capitals.If Pant enters the auction, CSK believes he will command a price around Rs 20 crore. This may result in the franchise not retaining Jadeja. However, CSK may use the Right To Match (RTM) option for Jadeja in that case.Meanwhile, Gujarat Titans (GT) is likely to retain skipper Shubman Gill, star spinner Rashid Khan, young opener Sai Sudharsan, and explosive hitters Rahul Tewatia and Shahrukh Khan ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction.These retentions will leave GT with one RTM card option at the upcoming auction. With the amount given to each player still unknown, GT will have around Rs 51 crores deducted from their overall purse of Rs 120 crores for retaining three international players and two uncapped players.All franchises must submit their list of retained players by October 31. Each team can retain six players, with a maximum of five capped and two uncapped. This can be done via retention or the RTM option.

Rajasthan Royals have finalized their retention list ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction, with Sanju Samson, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Riyan Parag, and Sandeep Sharma set to remain with the franchise.Samson, the team's captain, has been a consistent performer for the Royals, leading them to the playoffs in IPL 2024. He scored 531 runs in the season, his highest tally in the IPL. Jaiswal, the young opener, has also been impressive, scoring 435 runs in IPL 2024. Parag, a versatile all-rounder, had a breakout season in 2024, scoring 573 runs and making his T20I debut for India.Sandeep Sharma, the experienced pacer, has been a key part of the Royals' bowling attack, taking 13 wickets in IPL 2024. He qualifies as an uncapped player due to not playing international cricket for five years.However, England's Jos Buttler and India's Yuzvendra Chahal, who were key players in the Royals' run to the finals in IPL 2022, are not part of the retention list. The Royals can still use their two right-to-match options to buy them back at the auction.The Royals are also considering retaining wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel, who has impressed with his cameos in the lower order. If Jurel is retained, the Royals will lose at least INR 65 crore from their overall purse, leaving them INR 55 crore at the auction.The IPL has set minimum deductions from the auction purse for each player retained, but the franchises are free to pay more or less than those amounts. The Royals will lose at least INR 47 crore from their purse for retaining four players.The deadline for franchises to submit their list of retained players is October 31. The teams can retain up to six players each, with a maximum of five capped internationals and two uncapped players.