‘Won't give him 18 crores’ - Aakash Chopra feels SRH will not retain Pat Cummins

The IPL (Indian Premier League) 2025 auction is looming on the horizon and the fans are waiting in anticipation to see which players will be retained by the franchises ahead of the auction. Many eyes are set on IPL 2024 finalists Sunrisers Hyderabad. With several stars in their squad, SRH have some headache as far as their retention plans go.

One of the players they will look to retain is skipper, Pat Cummins. It is worth noting that SRH roped in Cummins for INR 20.5 crore in the IPL 2024 auction. However, former India cricketer Aakash Chopra recently feels that SRH would not be looking to retain Cummins for INR 18 crore, the sum which a franchise needs to pay to their first and fourth retention.

Chopra made the statements in the light of Cummins’ recent comments as the Australia ODI and Test skipper revealed that playing red-ball cricket for Australia remains his highest priority.

"Pat Cummins has said that he doesn't know whether he will come for the IPL or not because other things are there, that it's a non-stop treadmill, it is difficult, the priorities are different, the tentpoles are the Ashes and World Cups, and it's okay if the IPL fits in somewhere in between. He also said that new rules have come,” Chopra said in a video on his YouTube channel.

"Although he even added that he hasn't ever missed, he has never gone back after putting his name in the auction. However, Mitchell Starc and other players have gone. I feel the SunRisers Hyderabad won't retain him. They won't give him 18 crores. I am getting a feeling like that, although he bowled and captained well," Chopra added.

It is worth noting that the first three capped retentions will be costing the IPL franchises INR 18 crore, 14 crore, and 11 crore, respectively.