All franchises must name their retained and released players by October 31 (Thursday) ahead of the IPL 2025 auction. One team that will attract a lot of attention is the Rajasthan Royals, particularly due to the strong lineup they’ve built, which has performed impressively in recent seasons. It appears that the former IPL champions have completed their retention decisions, hinting that some well-known players may be let go while others could remain on the roster.
As reported by ESPN Cricinfo, the Rajasthan Royals are expected to keep three experienced players. The trio of Sanju Samson, Riyan Parag, and Yashasvi Jaiswal are the retained capped players for Rajasthan Royals before the IPL 2025 auction.
Additionally, Sandeep Sharma will be retained as the team’s uncapped choice. Sandeep has previously represented India, last playing for the national team in 2014. According to the rules, a player is considered uncapped if they haven’t played for India, have been retired for five or more years, or last represented India five years ago, which qualifies Sandeep Sharma for this classification. By retaining four players, the Rajasthan Royals will forfeit Rs 47 crore from their auction budget.
The report suggests that the Rajasthan Royals are poised to release Yuzvendra Chahal and Jos Buttler ahead of the IPL 2025 auction. While Buttler has been outstanding for the franchise, notching up a remarkable six centuries, Chahal has claimed 66 wickets in just three years, becoming the second-highest wicket-taker in RR’s history. Nonetheless, the report further mentions that both players are likely to be top priorities for the two Right to Match cards during the IPL 2025 auction.
It is believed that the Royals are still considering another player, wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel, with less than 24 hours remaining before the retention deadline closes. Jurel was acquired by the franchise during the 2022 mega auction for INR 20 lakhs, and since then, he has quickly established himself as a regular in the Royals XI, making his debut for India in the Test series against England earlier this year. At the Royals, Jurel has primarily batted in the lower order, accumulating 347 runs in 22 innings at a strike rate of 151.52, and has impressed the leadership group with his dynamic performances.
Meanwhile, all eyes will be on the reigning champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), as they are facing challenges in retaining just five or six players for the upcoming season. Reports suggest that KKR is eyeing fast bowler Harshit Rana as their uncapped Indian retention. However, it might come as a surprise that Rana may not be kept as an uncapped player after all.
As per a report by Cricbuzz, Ramandeep Singh is likely to be the uncapped retention for the Kolkata Knight Riders, despite numerous reports claiming that Harshit Rana would be chosen. The report indicates that KKR is expected to retain four players, none of whom include Harshit Rana.
Ramandeep Singh played a crucial role in the KKR team that secured the IPL 2024 title. He batted lower down the order at number 7 or 8 and contributed a significant 125 runs at a strike rate of 201. He was also one of the top fielders during the season and proved useful with the ball as well. Moreover, Ramandeep Singh has received his first call-up to the Indian team for the upcoming four-match series against South Africa.
KKR plans to retain four players, including Sunil Narine, Rinku Singh, Varun Chakravarthy, and Ramandeep Singh (the uncapped player). An earlier report indicated that discussions had taken place between Shreyas Iyer and KKR regarding his retention, but his high financial demands have led the franchise to reconsider. Additionally, Andre Russell is anticipated to be released by the KKR team.
