IPL 2025 Retention & Auction Possibilities: Which players might be retained or released?

Every cricket fanatic is buzzing with the IPL theories in the last few days. Who is getting the biggest paycheck? Who will be released? Which team will target which player? There are questions all around as the IPL retention deadline draws closer. 

The BCCI has made the life of franchise owners difficult with a tricky retention policy unless the team is Punjab Kings or Royal Challengers Bengaluru, who are expected to retain only a couple of players.

As per the rules, each team is allowed to retain a maximum of six players, out of which, one has to be uncapped, through a combination of retention or Right to Match cards. For example, if a franchise retains six players, it will have no RTMs at the auction. However, if a team decides to retain only two players, then they will have as many as four RTMs at the auction.

Each team has must have studied the rules carefully but each will have to figure out the best option. Teams like Sunrisers Hyderabad are relaxed, though. SRH have sorted out their retention plans as the franchise has reportedly spent INR INR 23 crore for Heinrich Klaasen and will also retain captain Pat Cummins and Abhishek Sharma in slot 2 and 3. They are also expected to retain Travis Head and Nitish Reddy.

However, not every franchise is as sorted as players themselves are eager to feature in the auction to maximise their market value. ;Plenty of franchises are on the verge of losing players as important as their captains. All in all, the auction is expected to be a grand cricketing festival. Ahead of that, here’s a list of some probable happenings:

5.  KL Rahul to leave LSG

Lucknow Super Giants are likely to part ways with captain KL Rahul as the team management wants to start afresh and may look for a captain in the auction. There is a high possibility of Nicholas Pooran leading the side in the next cycle.

Meanwhile, multiple franchises are waiting to sign Rahul in the auction. At the top of that list are RCB, who have reportedly had a word with the keeper-batter, although signing a player at the auction can never be  guaranteed.

Apart from RCB, Mumbai Indians are interested in Rahul. The franchise is set to release Ishan Kishan, which opens a spot for signing a wicketkeeper-batter who could bat at the top of the order. However, Mumbai are set to retain their core, which means they could have a significantly lower purse at the auction, making the signing of Rahul a difficult probability.