The mega auction for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season is set to be held in Riyadh on November 24 and 25, as per sources cited by ANI. All ten franchises have announced their lists of retained players for IPL 2025, revealing a mix of surprises and expected choices.
Last week, the retention lists for all ten franchises were unveiled, with several star players, including Jos Buttler, Aiden Markram, Glenn Maxwell, Faf Du Plessis, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, and Shreyas Iyer—being released into the auction by their respective teams. In total, 46 players were retained across all franchises, involving a cumulative investment of ₹558.5 crore. Among these, 36 players are Indian, including 10 uncapped Indian talents.
With IPL-winning skipper Shreyas Iyer released from Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Rishabh Pant from Delhi Capitals (DC), and KL Rahul from Lucknow Super Giants, three top-class Indian captaincy options are now available for teams seeking new leaders.
Notably, no England players were retained this time. Several star players, including Jos Buttler, Liam Livingstone, Jonny Bairstow, Moeen Ali, Sam Curran, Harry Brook, Phil Salt, and Will Jacks, were let go. These players missed parts of the season due to international commitments, while Harry Brook withdrew for personal reasons. Jason Roy also opted out of the IPL ahead of this season due to personal matters. These developments occasionally disrupted team balance, as several teams relied heavily on their overseas talent.
Five-time champions Mumbai Indians (MI) have placed their trust in a strong Indian core, featuring skipper Hardik Pandya, former captain Rohit Sharma, pacer Jasprit Bumrah, 360-degree hitter Suryakumar Yadav, and young left-hander Tilak Varma. It was expected that Ishan Kishan would retain his place, given his youth and experience with the franchise, but this did not materialize as many anticipated. This retention strategy allows MI to maintain a robust Indian contingent while leaving them with ₹45 crore to further strengthen their squad in the auction.
In contrast, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) adopted a more selective approach, retaining only three players. Virat Kohli commands the highest retention fee at ₹21 crore, alongside Rajat Patidar and Yash Dayal. This strategy leaves RCB with the second-largest purse of ₹83 crore.
The Punjab Kings surprised many by opting not to retain any capped players. Their two retentions, Shashank Singh and Prabhsimran Singh, indicate a shift toward nurturing young talent, leaving them with the largest remaining purse at ₹110.5 crore.
Rajasthan Royals have solidified their batting order, retaining a strong lineup while seeking an additional opener. They will enter the auction with the smallest purse of ₹41 crore.
For Chennai Super Kings (CSK), MS Dhoni is set to participate in the upcoming season after being retained as an uncapped player by the five-time champions. CSK’s strategy appears to focus on blending seasoned players with fresh talent, maintaining the balance that has driven their past successes. Alongside Dhoni, their retained players include Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, and Matheesha Pathirana.