IPL 2025 Retention Highlights: Big Names Released, Iconic Stars Retained
The much-awaited IPL 2025 retention list has revealed some major shakeups as teams prepare for the upcoming auction.
Among the notable releases are star players Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul, and Shreyas Iyer, while fan favorites like MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli, and Rohit Sharma will continue with their franchises. The ten teams have strategically retained core players and balanced their rosters, keeping star power and uncapped talent to optimize budgets.
CSK Retains Dhoni, Gaikwad as Core
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) exercised the “uncapped player” rule to retain MS Dhoni, along with captain Ruturaj Gaikwad and Ravindra Jadeja, each valued at ₹18 crores. They also kept Matheesha Pathirana for ₹13 crores and Shivam Dube for ₹12 crores, strengthening their leadership and bowling lineup.
MI Prioritizes Bumrah, Sharma
Mumbai Indians (MI) made Jasprit Bumrah their top retention at ₹18 crores, followed closely by Hardik Pandya and Suryakumar Yadav, each around ₹16.35 crores. Rohit Sharma, MI’s talisman, was retained for ₹16.30 crores, while emerging talent Tilak Varma was retained for ₹8 crores, keeping a robust mix of experience and young potential.
KKR Retains Rinku Singh, Narine, Russell
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) retained champions like Sunil Narine and Andre Russell, along with rising star Rinku Singh, their top pick at ₹13 crores. Varun Chakaravarthy, Harshit Rana, and Ramandeep Singh also stay on board, with Harshit and Ramandeep retained at ₹4 crores each as uncapped players, ensuring a balanced roster for KKR.
SRH Builds Around Klaasen and Cummins
Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) retained a star-studded lineup, with Heinrich Klaasen as the top retention at ₹23 crores. Joining him are Pat Cummins at ₹18 crores, Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, and Nitish Kumar Reddy, creating a core lineup with both batting and bowling depth.
RCB Banks on Kohli, Adds Patidar
Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) retained Virat Kohli for ₹21 crores, affirming his role as the team’s anchor. Rajat Patidar and Yash Dayal were retained for ₹11 and ₹5 crores, respectively, building around Kohli’s leadership.
LSG Parts Ways with Rahul, Keeps Pooran
Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) made the bold move to release KL Rahul, choosing to retain Nicholas Pooran as their mainstay at ₹21 crores. Ravi Bishnoi and Mayank Yadav were kept at ₹11 crores each, with Mohsin Khan and Ayush Badoni retained for ₹4 crores as uncapped assets.
Rajasthan Royals Go Indian Core
Rajasthan Royals retained an all-Indian lineup with Sanju Samson and Yashasvi Jaiswal at the forefront, each at ₹18 crores. Shimron Hetmyer was the only international player retained, while Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel, and Sandeep Sharma were also held, creating a strong domestic core.
GT Holds on to Rashid, Gill
Gujarat Titans (GT) kept Rashid Khan as their top pick for ₹18 crores. Shubman Gill was retained at a slightly reduced ₹16.5 crores, and Sai Sudharsan joined for ₹8.5 crores. Shahrukh Khan and Rahul Tewatia were retained at ₹4 crores each, adding stability to GT’s middle order.
DC Drops Pant, Retains Axar Patel
Delhi Capitals (DC) took a significant step by releasing Rishabh Pant, opting for Axar Patel as their primary retention at ₹16.5 crores. Kuldeep Yadav followed at ₹13.25 crores, with Tristan Stubbs and Abhishek Porel rounding off their retentions.
Here’s the list of players retained by each IPL franchise for the 2025 season:
Chennai Super Kings (CSK)
- MS Dhoni (Uncapped Retention)
- Ruturaj Gaikwad – ₹18 crores
- Ravindra Jadeja – ₹18 crores
- Matheesha Pathirana – ₹13 crores
- Shivam Dube – ₹12 crores
Mumbai Indians (MI)
- Jasprit Bumrah – ₹18 crores
- Hardik Pandya – ₹16.35 crores
- Suryakumar Yadav – ₹16.35 crores
- Rohit Sharma – ₹16.30 crores
- Tilak Varma – ₹8 crores
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)
- Rinku Singh – ₹13 crores
- Andre Russell – ₹12 crores
- Sunil Narine – ₹12 crores
- Varun Chakaravarthy – ₹12 crores
- Harshit Rana – ₹4 crores (Uncapped)
- Ramandeep Singh – ₹4 crores (Uncapped)
Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH)
- Heinrich Klaasen – ₹23 crores
- Pat Cummins – ₹18 crores
- Travis Head – ₹14 crores
- Abhishek Sharma – ₹14 crores
- Nitish Kumar Reddy – ₹6 crores
Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB)
- Virat Kohli – ₹21 crores
- Rajat Patidar – ₹11 crores
- Yash Dayal – ₹5 crores
Lucknow Super Giants (LSG)
- Nicholas Pooran – ₹21 crores
- Ravi Bishnoi – ₹11 crores
- Mayank Yadav – ₹11 crores
- Mohsin Khan – ₹4 crores (Uncapped)
- Ayush Badoni – ₹4 crores (Uncapped)
Punjab Kings (PBKS)
- Shashank Singh – ₹5.5 crores (Uncapped)
- Prabhsimran Singh – ₹4 crores (Uncapped)
Rajasthan Royals (RR)
- Sanju Samson – ₹18 crores
- Yashasvi Jaiswal – ₹18 crores
- Riyan Parag – ₹14 crores
- Dhruv Jurel – ₹14 crores
- Shimron Hetmyer – ₹11 crores
- Sandeep Sharma – ₹4 crores
Gujarat Titans (GT)
- Rashid Khan – ₹18 crores
- Shubman Gill – ₹16.5 crores
- Sai Sudharsan – ₹8.5 crores
- Shahrukh Khan – ₹4 crores (Uncapped)
- Rahul Tewatia – ₹4 crores (Uncapped)
Delhi Capitals (DC)
- Axar Patel – ₹16.5 crores
- Kuldeep Yadav – ₹13.25 crores
- Tristan Stubbs – ₹10 crores
- Abhishek Porel – ₹4 crores (Uncapped)
