The player retention window for the TATA IPL 2025 season closed on October 31, 2024, marking a significant milestone as all ten franchises finalized their core lineups. With the excitement building ahead of the mega auction, teams have strategically retained a total of 46 players, reflecting a cumulative investment of INR 558.5 crore.
Retention Strategy Overview
Franchises were allowed to retain up to six players, including a maximum of five capped internationals and up to two uncapped Indian players, within the total salary cap of INR 120 crore available for building a squad of 25 players. This season’s retention strategies showcase each team’s approach to balancing established talent with future potential.
Defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and inaugural season champions Rajasthan Royals (RR) have opted for full retentions, securing six players each to maintain their strong competitive edge. In contrast, five teams—Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Gujarat Titans (GT), Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), Mumbai Indians (MI), and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH)—retained five players, while Delhi Capitals (DC), Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), and Punjab Kings (PBKS) have retained four, three, and two players, respectively.
Also Read: England Test Captain Ben Stokes Likely to Skip IPL 2025 for International Commitments
Punjab Kings Lead the Purse
Among the franchises, Punjab Kings will head into the auction with the largest available purse, holding INR 110.5 crore. This significant budget provides them with the flexibility to make strategic acquisitions during the highly anticipated mega auction, set to take place at the end of November.
A Look at the Retained Players
Here’s a complete list of retained players from each franchise, highlighting the stars that will return for the IPL 2025 season:
- Chennai Super Kings: Ruturaj Gaikwad, Matheesha Pathirana, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni
- Delhi Capitals: Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Tristan Stubbs, Abhishek Porel
- Gujarat Titans: Rashid Khan, Shubman Gill, Sai Sudharsan, Rahul Tewatia, Shahrukh Khan
- Kolkata Knight Riders: Rinku Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, Harshit Rana, Ramandeep Singh
- Lucknow Super Giants: Nicholas Pooran, Ravi Bishnoi, Mayank Yadav, Mohsin Khan, Ayush Badoni
- Mumbai Indians: Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Rohit Sharma, Tilak Varma
- Punjab Kings: Shashank Singh, Prabhsimran Singh
- Rajasthan Royals: Sanju Samson, Yashaswi Jaiswal, Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel, Shimron Hetmyer, Sandeep Sharma
- Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar, Yash Dayal
- Sunrisers Hyderabad: Pat Cummins, Abhishek Sharma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Heinrich Klaasen, Travis Head
Also Read: IPL 2025 Mega Auction: The Stage is Set for Big Moves!
Squad Size, Salary Cap, and Available Slots
With the retention window now closed, here’s a breakdown of the squads, their compositions, and remaining salary caps heading into the auction:
| Franchise | No. of Players | No. of Overseas Players | No. of Uncapped Players | RTM | Total Money Spent (Rs.) | Salary Cap Available (Rs.) | Available Slots | Overseas Slots |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CSK | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 65 | 55 | 20 | 7 |
| DC | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 47 | 73 | 21 | 7 |
| GT | 5 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 51 | 69 | 20 | 7 |
| KKR | 6 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 69 | 51 | 19 | 6 |
| LSG | 5 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 51 | 69 | 20 | 7 |
| MI | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 75 | 45 | 20 | 8 |
| PBKS | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 9.5 | 110.5 | 23 | 8 |
| RCB | 3 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 37 | 83 | 22 | 8 |
| RR | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 79 | 41 | 19 | 7 |
| SRH | 5 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 75 | 45 | 20 | 5 |
Also Read: Lucknow Super Giants Likely Retained Players for IPL 2025
Anticipation Builds for the Mega Auction
As franchises prepare to fill the remaining slots and strengthen their squads, the stage is set for a thrilling mega auction. With teams eyeing key players to enhance their chances of success in the IPL 2025 season, fans are eager to see how strategies unfold. The upcoming auction promises to be an action-packed affair, with every franchise keen to secure the best talent available.
With IPL 2025 just around the corner, the excitement is palpable, and all eyes will be on the auction as teams make their final moves to compete for cricket’s most coveted trophy.