The IPL retention phase ahead of the IPL 2025 season has wrapped up, setting the stage for another high-stakes auction. As teams finalize their core rosters, notable retention choices have reshaped expectations, with franchises strategically positioning themselves to secure the title. Here’s a detailed, team-by-team breakdown.
Mumbai Indians
MI Retained Players List: Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Nihal Wadhera.
Strategy: MI has doubled down on experience, retaining a solid core with Sharma and Bumrah. With a proven nucleus, their auction agenda will likely target all-rounders and experienced overseas players, aiming to reinforce both middle-order stability and death-over options.
MI Released Players List: Dewald Brevis*, Ishan Kishan, Harvik Desai, Tim David*, Vishnu Vinod, Arjun Tendulkar, Mohammad Nabi*, Romario Shepherd*, Shams Mulani, Nehal Wadhera, Gerald Coetzee*, Anshul Kamboj, Naman Dhir, Shivalik Sharma, Kwena Maphaka*, Kumar Kartikeya Singh, Piyush Chawla, Akash Madhwal, Luke Wood*, Dilshan Madushanka*, Shreyas Gopal, Nuwan Thushara*.
Chennai Super Kings
CSK Retained Players List: MS Dhoni, Ravindra Jadeja, Ruturaj Gaikwad.
Strategy: CSK’s hallmark of consistency continues with Dhoni, Jadeja, and Gaikwad staying on. They’ll look to fine-tune their bowling, possibly eyeing fast bowlers and middle-order depth to keep their title aspirations on track.
CSK Released Players List: Ajay Mandal, Ajinkya Rahane, Deepak Chahar, Devon Conway*, Maheesh Theekshana*, Mitchell Santner*, Moeen Ali*, Mukesh Choudhary, Nishant Sindhu, Prashant Solanki, Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Shaik Rasheed, Simarjeet Singh, Tushar Deshpande, Rachin Ravindra*, Shardul Thakur, Daryl Mitchell*, Sameer Rizvi, Mustafizur Rahman*, Avanish Rao Aravelly.
Kolkata Knight Riders
KKR Retained Players List: Andre Russell, Rinku Singh, Harshit Rana
Strategy: KKR retains a balance of power and potential. With Russell’s explosiveness and Rinku’s promise, their auction focus will likely pivot toward experienced overseas picks and Indian pacers, aiming to secure a robust lineup for high-pressure games.
KKR Released Players List: Shreyas Iyer, Rahmanullah Gurbaz*, Nitish Rana, Sherfane Rutherford*, Phil Salt*, KS Bharat, Manish Pandey, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Anukul Roy, Venkatesh Iyer, Suyash Sharma, Allah Ghazanfar*, Dushmantha Chameera*, Sakib Hussain, Vaibhav Arora, Mitchell Starc*, Chetan Sakariya.
Delhi Capitals
DC Retained Players List: Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Swastik Sharma.
Strategy: DC secures their spin duo and an emerging pace talent, suggesting a likely emphasis on bolstering their batting in the auction. Overseas acquisitions with a track record in big games will likely feature in their target list.
DC Released Players List: Anrich Nortje*, David Warner* (retired), Ishant Sharma, Lalit Yadav, Mitchell Marsh*, Mukesh Kumar, Pravin Dubey, Prithvi Shaw, Rishabh Pant, Syed Khaleel Ahmed, Vicky Ostwal, Yash Dhull, Harry Brook*, Ricky Bhui, Kumar Kushagra, Rasikh Dar, Jhye Richardson*, Sumit Kumar, Shai Hope*, Swastik Chhikara, Jake Fraser-McGurk*.
Royal Challengers Bangalore
RCB Retained Players List: Virat Kohli, Mohammed Siraj, Yashasvi Jaiswal
Strategy: RCB’s strategy appears clear: leverage a strong Indian core led by Kohli and Siraj, adding power-hitting and versatile all-rounders at the auction. This balanced approach should keep them competitive in all facets.
RCB Released Players List: Faf du Plessis*, Anuj Rawat, Dinesh Karthik (retired), Suyash S Prabhudessai, Will Jacks*, Saurav Chauhan, Glenn Maxwell*, Mahipal Lomror, Karn Sharma, Cameron Green*, Swapnil Singh, Mayank Dagar, Manoj Bhandage, Akash Deep, Alzarri Joseph*, Lockie Ferguson*, Mohammed Siraj, Tom Curran*, Reece Topley*, Himanshu Sharma, Vyshak Vijay Kumar, Rajan Kumar.
SunRisers Hyderabad
SRH Retained Players List: Umran Malik, Abhishek Sharma, Abdul Samad.
Strategy: SRH leans young, banking on Malik’s pace and Sharma’s potential. Aiming to balance youth with experience, they’re poised to chase seasoned overseas players and reliable spin options at the auction.
SRH Released Players List: Abdul Samad, Aiden Markram*, Rahul Tripathi, Glenn Phillips*, Mayank Agarwal, Anmolpreet Singh, Upendra Singh Yadav, Marco Jansen*, Washington Sundar, Sanvir Singh, Wanindu Hasaranga*, Akash Singh, Shahbaz Ahamad, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Fazalhaq Farooqi*, Jaydev Unadkat, T Natarajan, Umran Malik, Mayank Markande, Jhathavedh Subramanyan, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth.
Punjab Kings
PBKS Retained Players List: Arshdeep Singh, Ashutosh Sharma.
Strategy: PBKS maintains a youthful outlook, prioritizing potential over experience in their retention. They’re expected to take a proactive auction approach, seeking experienced assets, including impact overseas signings.
PBKS Released Players List: Shikhar Dhawan (retired), Jitesh Sharma, Jonny Bairstow*, Liam Livingstone*, Harpreet Bhatia, Rilee Rossouw*, Chris Woakes*, Vishwanath Pratap Singh, Ashutosh Sharma, Tanay Thyagarajan, Atharva Taide, Rishi Dhawan, Sam Curran*, Sikandar Raza*, Shivam Singh, Prince Choudhary, Harpreet Brar, Arshdeep Singh, Kagiso Rabada*, Nathan Ellis*, Rahul Chahar, Vidwath Kaverappa, Harshal Patel.
Gujarat Titans
GT Retained Players List: Shubman Gill, Rashid Khan, Mohit Sharma.
Strategy: GT’s core emphasizes versatility, with players like Rashid adding balance across the board. They’re likely to approach the auction selectively, pursuing key players to enhance their roster’s adaptability.
GT Released Players List: BR Sharath, Abhinav Manohar, Sandeep Warrier, Gurnoor Brar, Darshan Nalkande, David Miller*, Jayant Yadav, Joshua Little*, Kane Williamson*, Matthew Wade*, Mohammad Shami, Mohit Sharma, Noor Ahmad*, Sai Kishore, Vijay Shankar, Wriddhiman Saha, Azmatullah Omarzai*, Umesh Yadav, Sushant Mishra, Kartik Tyagi, Manav Suthar, Spencer Johnson*.
Rajasthan Royals
RR Retained Players List: Sanju Samson, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sandeep Sharma.
Strategy: RR bets on youth blended with experience, centered around Samson’s leadership. Expect them to target pace reinforcements and veteran overseas talents to complement their lineup.
RR Released Players List: Jos Buttler*, Kunal Rathore, Donovan Ferreira*, Rovman Powell*, Shubham Dubey, Tom Kohler-Cadmore*, Ravichandran Ashwin, Tanush Kotian, Abid Mushtaq, Avesh Khan, Kuldeep Sen, Navdeep Saini, Keshav Maharaj*, Trent Boult*, Yuzvendra Chahal, Nandre Burger*.
Overall Trends & Observations
- Youth-Experience Balance: Teams are strategically mixing seasoned players with emerging stars, ensuring depth and continuity.
- Core Stability: Franchises have retained their key players, creating consistency and focused team dynamics.
- Auction Focus: Expect aggressive bidding wars, as teams look to fill critical roles with high-impact players.
- Homegrown Talent Priority: Retaining Indian players underscores the value franchises place on homegrown talent, which remains critical to IPL success.
As teams finalize their auction targets, the IPL 2025 season promises intense competition and captivating cricket. The IPL 2025 auction is poised to add new narratives, shaping the next chapter in this premier T20 league.