IPL 2025 Retention Highlights: Pant in auction pool; Klaasen gets Rs 23 cr; Kohli's salary Rs 21 cr

Chennai Super Kings have retained Ruturaj Gaikwad, Pathirana, Dhoni, Jadeja, Gaikwad. Rishabh Pant not retained by Delhi Capitals

10:19 AM

IPL 2025 Retention Live Updates: What Happened with Rishabh Pant at DC?

Behind the Curtains: Tensions and Transformations at Delhi Capitals

 

For over a month, discussions intensified within DC’s management, culminating in Pant’s exit after eight years, three of which he spent as captain. With Venugopal Rao as Director of Cricket and Hemang Badani as head coach, the GMR-led shake-up has sparked fresh interest in Shreyas Iyer, potentially redefining DC’s line-up and the IPL’s competitive landscape.

 

All Eyes on Pant: Lucknow Super Giants and Punjab Kings Ready for Bidding War

 

Rumours hint that Lucknow Super Giants and Punjab Kings have set their sights on Pant, poised to ignite a fierce bidding war. The IPL 2025 Mega Auction looms as an all-out battle, and with each bid, the cricketing world inches closer to a thrilling new chapter in the league’s history.

Rishabh Pant, Shreyas Iyer. Photo: Sportzpics

10:15 AM

IPL 2025 retention rules: Player Choice and Trade Restrictions

 

In IPL 2025, players hold the right to decline a retention offer from their existing franchise and place themselves in the auction if they choose. This flexibility allows players to explore potential new opportunities or maximise their value through the competitive bidding process.

 

Additionally, from the retention deadline day (October 31) until the start of the IPL 2025 season, all player trades are officially paused. This trade freeze ensures that teams can focus on retention strategies and auction preparations without mid-process roster shifts, allowing for a more structured approach to squad finalisation.

10:02 AM

IPL 2025 retention rules: Using the Right-to-Match (RTM) Option in the IPL 2025 Mega Auction

In the IPL 2025 mega auction, the Right to Match (RTM) option gives teams a unique opportunity to reacquire their former players after they are bid on by another franchise. Here’s how the process works:

 

Initial Bid Match: If a player from a team’s IPL 2024 roster is bought by another franchise, the previous team can immediately exercise the RTM option to reacquire the player by matching the highest bid placed by the competing team.

 

New Rule for Bid Increase: A key update to the RTM rule since the 2018 mega auction now permits the franchise with the highest bid to further increase their bid to any amount they choose. The player’s previous team must then decide if they wish to match this new, higher bid to retain the player.

 

This rule shift adds a layer of competition and strategy, as the RTM can now trigger a bidding escalation, demanding that teams weigh the value of reacquiring familiar talent against their overall budget and strategic goals for the auction.

9:43 AM

Understanding the Right to Match (RTM) in IPL 2025

The Right to Match (RTM) card gives teams a strategic advantage to reacquire their previous squad members at the mega auction, even if they have not retained them beforehand. Here’s how it works:

 

RTM Allocation Based on Retentions: Teams retaining fewer than six players by October 31 will receive RTM options. For instance:

 

A team retaining three players will enter the auction with three RTM options.

Teams with no retained players have a maximum of six RTM options, while those retaining six players have no RTMs.

Restrictions on RTM Usage: If a team has retained five capped players, RTMs are limited to reacquiring only uncapped players. Furthermore, teams that have already retained two uncapped players are not permitted to use RTM for additional uncapped players at the auction.

 

This tactical tool allows teams to strike a balance between new picks and familiar faces, empowering them to recalibrate their line-ups effectively while navigating retention and budget limits.

9:28 AM

Flexible Retention Strategy: Distributing Rs 75 Crore Among Retained Players

IPL teams have the freedom to allocate their Rs 75 crore retention budget flexibly when retaining five players. This allows teams to negotiate custom retention amounts, as long as the total deduction does not exceed Rs 75 crore. Here’s how teams can approach this flexible strategy:

 

• One capped player: The minimum deduction would be Rs 18 crore.
• Two capped players: At least Rs 32 crore would be deducted (Rs 18 + Rs 14), or higher based on agreed retention payments.
• Three capped players: A minimum deduction of Rs 43 crore (Rs 18 + Rs 14 + Rs 11).
• Four capped players: At least Rs 61 crore would be deducted (Rs 18 + Rs 14 + Rs 11 + Rs 18).

For five capped players, the total Rs 75 crore cap allows flexibility. For instance, a team may choose to retain its star player at Rs 23 crore, while negotiating a lower-than-standard amount for the fifth player. This approach empowers franchises to craft tailored retention deals that balance player value with budget strategy, all while staying within the Rs 75 crore threshold.

9:08 AM

IPL 2025 retention rules: Player Retention Budget

The Cost of Loyalty: Player Retention Budget for IPL 2025

Each IPL franchise is working with a purse of Rs 120 crore this season—a substantial 20 per cent increase over last year—to assemble their ideal squads for IPL 2025. However, retaining key players comes with pre-set deductions from this budget:

 

1. First retained player: Rs 18 crore
2. Second retained player: Rs 14 crore
3. Third retained player: Rs 11 crore
4. Fourth retained player: Rs 18 crore
5. Fifth retained player: Rs 14 crore
6. Uncapped Indian player: Rs 4 crore each

If a franchise chooses to retain five capped players, this would reduce their available purse by Rs 75 crore, leaving Rs 45 crore to complete their squad for the upcoming season. With strategic spending on these retention slots, franchises aim to strike the perfect balance between proven talent and fresh picks at the auction.

8:48 AM

IPL 2025 retention rules: How many players can a team retain?

Ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction, each franchise can retain up to six players from their 2024 squad. Within this limit, they may choose a maximum of five capped players (Indian or overseas) and up to two uncapped Indian players. This six-player cap is the highest retention allowance ever permitted in the IPL, allowing teams to maintain a strong core while setting the stage for new talent and strategic acquisitions in the auction.

8:46 AM

IPL 2025 retention: Franchisees to reveal retention list today

Welcome to our live coverage of the IPL 2025 player retentions. Teams have until 5 PM today to finalise and submit their list of retained players. Most team rosters are nearly sorted, and reports on potential retentions are already surfacing. However, as the deadline nears, unexpected changes may still occur.

 

Stay tuned with us for all the live updates on IPL 2025 retentions.