The IPL 2025 mega auction promises to be an exciting event for fans and franchises alike, yet choosing which players to retain may prove dauntingly difficult.
Delhi Daredevils will aim to retain both Stubbs and Fraser-McGurk, the two only foreign players currently present in their current roster.
Date
The IPL Mega Auction 2025 is scheduled to take place sometime between December 2024 and February 2025; the BCCI is still finalizing the exact dates.
At the auction, franchises may retain certain players while some others will be released; the retention window closes one month prior to the auction date. Furthermore, each team will be given a “Right to Match” card which they can use to retain a player with the highest bidder for auction purposes.
Mumbai Indians appear likely to retain Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah and Suryakumar Yadav while also signing an overseas player such as Tim David.
Mumbai Indians
Mumbai Indians have proven to be one of the most successful franchises in IPL history, having won five times. Led by Sachin Tendulkar and Kieron Pollard as their batting heroes, while Jasprit Bumrah and Lasith Malinga spearhead their bowling attack respectively.
Last season, MI finished fourth on the points table before losing in Qualifier Two against Gujarat Titans. Rohit Sharma-led MI have released players such as Jofra Archer, Duan Jansen, Jhye Richardson Riley Meredith and Chris Jordan but kept hold of India pacer Harbhajan Singh and spinners Dilshan Madushanka and Nuwan Thushara as pillars for building their squad ahead of the mega auction.
Chennai Super Kings
IPL mega auction is one of the key events for IPL franchises and players as it allows them to select new teams. Held every three years, its last mega auction took place in 2024.
After their devastating loss in the Indian Premier League final against RCB, CSK will need to make decisions regarding their team composition. They may retain several Indian players such as Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shivam Dube and Ravindra Jadeja.
These players are essential to CSK’s team success and add stability and experience. MS Dhoni has led his franchise to two titles and four runners-up finishes since 2009. Additionally, CSK features internationally experienced players like Dwayne Smith, Sisanda Magala, and Dwaine Pretorious as key members.
Kolkata Knight Riders
After two disappointing 2023 and 2022 seasons under Dinesh Karthik, KKR managed to finish third in their final year before winning their 2024 title thanks to an adept and balanced squad.
Karthik will likely remain captain, yet may make some tough choices when it comes to retentions. Sunil Narine and Andre Russell could return for Karthik to retain, which may mean having to let one or both Nitish Rana or Rinku Singh go in order to meet the four-player limit for retentions.
Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shivam Dube and Ravindra Jadeja will likely remain part of CSK following MS Dhoni’s retirement, while Srilankan pacer Matheesha Pathirana could also be retained if CSK wants to strengthen their bowling unit. They can sign two overseas players using an RTM card.
Lucknow Super Giants
LSG made their IPL debut under KL Rahul’s leadership in 2022 and have played two Eliminator matches over their first two seasons. Although they have yet to capture any hardware, their performances have been consistently strong – providing competition to every team participating.
LSG boasts an exciting blend of experience and youth in its batting lineup. Under Romario Shepherd and Mohsin Khan’s leadership, their bowling has also shown promise over recent seasons.
Marcus Stoinis was an integral member of LSG’s batting department last season and scored 616 runs – leading the run charts and leading to his release from their retained list. LSG will look for strategically advantageous purchases during this auction process.
IPL 2025 Mega-Auction: Retained Players List (Estimated)
| Team | Retained Players |
|---|---|
| Royal Challengers Bengaluru | Virat Kohli, Mohammed Siraj, Cameron Green, Glenn Maxwell |
| Kolkata Knight Riders | Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, Shreyas Iyer, Varun Chakaravarthy |
| Delhi Capitals | Rishabh Pant, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Jake Fraser-McGurk |
| Punjab Kings | Sam Curran, Arshdeep Singh, Shashank Singh, Ashutosh Sharma |
| Rajasthan Royals | Sanju Samson, Jos Buttler, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Riyan Parag |
| Sunrisers Hyderabad | Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Abhishek Sharma, T Natarajan, Travis Head |
| Chennai Super Kings | Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhoni |
| Lucknow Super Giants | KL Rahul, Nicholas Pooran, Marcus Stoinis, Mayank Yadav |
| Gujarat Titans | Shubman Gill, Sai Sudharsan, Mohammed Shami, Rashid Khan |
| Mumbai Indians | Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav, Rohit Sharma |