Aakash Chopra names players SRH must retain before IPL 2025 auction

The recently concluded Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 season was close to a dream finish for the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), as they almost went all the way to the final before losing to Kolkata Knight Riders(KKR). As the franchise sets their eyes on IPL 2025, one key question arises which players will the Orange Army look to retain.

SRH acquired Pat Cummins' services for a whopping INR 20.50 crore before the 2024 edition, appointing the Australian Test captain as their skipper. The investment paid rich dividends as SRH finished as runners-up. With the IPL's next mega auction, cricketer-turned-commentator Aakash Chopra believes retaining Cummins must be SRH's top priority.

"It's absolutely mandatory to retain Pat Cummins because there are 10 teams in the IPL, and you don't get a captain. You have to go shopping for a captain and too many Indian names aren't available, and those who are there aren't released. So it is going to be an interesting one. Can you convince Pat Cummins for three more years?" Chopra said on his s YouTube channel.

The former opener identified young Abhishek Sharma as the ideal second retention for the Orange Army.

"I will keep Abhishek Sharma at No. 2 because you won't get an Indian talent like Abhishek Sharma. There is a lot of value in Indian retentions because it won't be that easy to pick such players again at the auction. They will be very expensive and when you have seen someone doing so well with you, keep him, why should you release him?" Chopra added.

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I will want to retain Travis Head but my third player will be Heinrich Klaasen: Aakash Chopra

For the third retention spot, Chopra favored South African wicket-keeper batter Heinrich Klaasen over the hard-hitting Australian opener Travis Head. 

"I will want to retain Travis Head but my third player will be Heinrich Klaasen. You can get other players for the position at which Travis Head bats but the position at which Heinrich Klaasen bats - Nicholas Pooran, Andre Russell and Heinrich Klaasen. So I will want to retain Heinrich Klaasen," he further added.

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Chopra believes SRH may have to choose between the experienced pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar and T Natarajan for their second Indian player retention. 

"I might or might not retain Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Actually, I might let him go, although his performance has been very good. He is 34 and will become 37 (by the end of the upcoming cycle). He has collected a lot of bowling miles. So he might not remain that penetrative for three years," he continued.

"T Natarajan can remain (penetrative), although he is not very young either. He is 33 but has not bowled enough number of overs for the juice to have finished. So there, T Natarajan or Bhuvneshwar Kumar, an attempt to retain one of them, or else I might want to hold on to them through the 'Right to Match' card," Chopra concluded.