The IPL retentions have been announced, revealing which players each team has kept and released ahead of the mega auction for IPL 2025. This news brought several surprises on Thursday.
Big names like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni, Pat Cummins, Heinrich Klaasen, and Nicholas Pooran have been retained by their teams. However, notable players such as Rishabh Pant, Shreyas Iyer, Mitchell Starc, and KL Rahul have been released. The retention decisions also included some unexpected choices, as all 10 teams aimed to build a balanced core for IPL 2025. Here’s a look at the top five questionable retentions made by franchises.
Yash Dayal (RCB)
Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) retained pacer Yash Dayal for INR 5 crore, which surprised many, especially since they let go of experienced players like Faf du Plessis, Glenn Maxwell, and Mohammed Siraj. Fans were confused about why RCB chose Dayal over Siraj, their leading bowler.
Dayal has had a mixed IPL career, including a tough moment when Rinku Singh hit him for five sixes in a row during IPL 2023. Nonetheless, he proved his worth in a key match against Chennai Super Kings last season. Alongside Dayal, RCB also retained Virat Kohli (INR 21 crore) and Rajat Patidar (INR 11 crore) in their quest for their first IPL title.
Prabhsimran Singh (Punjab Kings)
Punjab Kings’ decision to keep wicketkeeper-batsman Prabhsimran Singh for INR 4 crore raised eyebrows, particularly since they released notable players like Arshdeep Singh and Sam Curran. While other teams invested heavily in big names, Punjab’s more cautious approach was not well-received by fans.
Prabhsimran has a decent record of 756 runs in 32 matches at a strike rate of 146.23, showing his potential. With Ricky Ponting as the new head coach, Punjab retained only Prabhsimran and Shashank Singh (INR 5.5 crore) from the uncapped players.
Abhishek Porel (Delhi Capitals)
Delhi Capitals’ decision to retain uncapped wicketkeeper-batsman Abhishek Porel was unexpected, especially with the release of seasoned players like David Warner, Mitchell Marsh, and Anrich Nortje. Even after parting ways with former captain Rishabh Pant, Porel’s steady performance last season (360 runs in 18 matches) likely convinced DC’s management of his potential.
With INR 73 crore remaining in their budget, the Capitals are well-placed for the mega auction and might see Porel as their main wicketkeeper.
Shashank Singh (Punjab Kings)
Punjab Kings surprised everyone by keeping 32-year-old Shashank Singh, who had a decent performance last season but was not their top player. Many fans believed a younger talent like Ashutosh Singh or the experienced Arshdeep Singh would have been better choices. Despite entering the auction with the highest budget of INR 112 crore, Punjab seems to lack a solid core for IPL 2025.
Dhruv Jurel (Rajasthan Royals)
In a surprising move, Rajasthan Royals retained uncapped wicketkeeper-batsman Dhruv Jurel for INR 14 crore, despite letting go of key players like Jos Buttler, Yuzvendra Chahal, and Trent Boult. Jurel has shown flashes of talent in crucial moments, but his statistics don’t completely justify such a high retention amount.
The Royals aim to create a young core, with Jurel joining Yashasvi Jaiswal and Riyan Parag. Along with Sanju Samson (INR 18 crore) and Shimron Hetmyer (INR 11 crore), the team has already spent INR 79 crore, leaving them with INR 41 crore to fill 19 slots.
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