Phew, that was some day as far as the IPL 2025 retentions were concerned. Yes! After days of waiting, we finally got ourselves 46 retained players, with the costliest being Sunrisers Hyderabad’s (SRH) Heinrich Klaasen at Rs 23 crore. Among Indians, it was Virat Kohli, who will now earn Rs 21 crore every year across the next three seasons. The biggest news certainly was the release of three IPL captains: Rishabh Pant, Shreyas Iyer, and KL Rahul. These three are expected to bag huge bucks. Not to forget the likes of Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, and Mohammed Siraj, who were also left out by their respective franchises. On that note, here are six of the most eye-catching stories from October 31.
Virat Kohli – retained at Rs 21 crore
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have retained Virat Kohli, their star player since the IPL’s inception, for a record Rs. 21 crore ahead of the 2025 mega auction. This is a significant increase from his previous retention fee of Rs. 15 crore, making him the costliest retained Indian player. Kohli expressed his excitement about completing 20 years with RCB after the upcoming 3-year cycle. RCB also retained Rajat Patidar (Rs 11cr) and Yash Dayal (Rs 5cr). Kohli remains the IPL’s all-time leading run-scorer with 8004 runs in 252 matches.
Chahal released…again
Rajasthan Royals (RR) have surprisingly released Yuzvendra Chahal, their leading wicket-taker. Despite his consistent performances, RR had to make tough choices to retain their core Indian players. While they aim to retain Chahal through the Right to Match (RTM) card in the 2025 mega auction, there’s no guarantee. Chahal, the only bowler with 200+ IPL wickets, is likely to be a hot commodity at the auction, attracting huge interest from multiple franchises. Have RR done a RCB here?
No Mohammed Siraj for RCB!
Barring Jasprit Bumrah (of course), many star Indian pacers got released. Including one is Mohammed Siraj, who failed to negotiate a contract with RCB. For a team that has historically struggled with their bowling, for them to let go someone like Mohammed Siraj is just baffling. He is the third-highest wicket-taker for RCB with 83 scalps in 87 matches. Regardless, Siraj also goes expensive in some games, and RCB now might look for a pacer suited to their home venue.
Jasprit Bumrah rested for IND vs NZ 3rd Test
Jasprit Bumrah has returned to his home and will not play the third India vs New Zealand Test. Despite being initially touted to be rested for the second Test, his services were required after India’s loss in the first Test. However, with the series already lost and the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy being the priority, the Indian team management has decided to rest Bumrah to preserve his fitness. While the decision could backfire India to endure their maiden whitewash at home after 2000, the rest is essential for Bumrah.
What? No Arshdeep Singh for PBKS?
When the BCCI released the IPL retention list rule, many believed that PBKS only had one guarantee retention in Arshdeep Singh. Incredibly, they have released their star pacer, who was the highest wicket-taker at the ICC T20 World Cup 2024. Moreover, they even released Kagiso Rabada, who is one of the best all-format bowlers currently. While PBKS will enter the IPL auction with the most money (₹110.5 cr) and 4 RTM cards, they might rue not retaining Arshdeep.
Shreyas Iyer didn’t want KKR?
KKR co-owner Venky Mysore revealed a “one-way communication” with skipper Shreyas Iyer before the IPL 2025 auction. Despite leading KKR to their third IPL title in 2024, Iyer has been released. He joined KKR from DC in 2022 and was one of the faces for the franchise. Reports suggest Iyer wasn’t KKR’s top retention pick and his ask for an “exorbitant pay” was a factor in their decision. Iyer will now be available in the IPL 2025 mega auction, making him one of the most sought-after players.
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