IPL 2025: Best Predicted Retained Players List for All 10 Teams

October 13, 2024 Adesh Kothari

Virat Kohli and KL Rahul among the top priorities in our best predicted retained players list for all 10 teams for IPL 2025.

The 18th edition of the Indian Premier League, the IPL 2025 is witnessing the busiest month ever with all teams involved in deep planning for the players that they would like to retain for IPL 2025. The Mega Auction which happens every 3 years in general will be conducted this year, and unlike the Mini Auctions where teams can retain any number of players, the rules for Mega Auction this time allow a team to retain a maximum of six players.

The BCCI has done a commendable job this time with the way they have designed the IPL 2025 Retention rules. To recap, a team can retain a maximum of 5 capped and 2 uncapped players. In case they retain fewer numbers, they can use RTM cards in the Auction to get back the players. There is also no restriction on the number of Indian or Overseas players one can retain. Similarly, the 1st retention will cost 18 Cr, the 2nd one will cost 14 Cr, the third will cost 11 Cr, the 4th 18 Cr, and the 5th 14 Cr. For uncapped player, 4 Cr shall be deducted.

The rules are going to make the IPL 2025 Mega Auction even more interesting as teams will have the freedom to save money by retaining fewer players, and then use RTM cards to get back those players. So, with the newly designed retention and RTM rules for IPL 2025, let’s analyze the complete squad for all 10 teams, and find out the best predicted retained players list for each franchise for IPL 2025.

IPL 2025 Best Predicted Retained Players List for All 10 Teams

#1: Chennai Super Kings

Ruturaj Gaikwad – 18 Cr
Ravindra Jadeja – 14 Cr
Matheesha Pathirana – 14 Cr
MS Dhoni – 4 Cr

Chennai Super Kings will go about retaining four players, and using RTM cards on two players. The team should retain Ruturaj Gaikwad at the highest bracket at 18r. Ravindra Jadeja should follow him at 14 Cr, and between Dube and Pathirana, CSK should mostly select Matheesha Pathirana for 11 Cr given that. Dube won’t go for more than 11 Cr in the Auction. Meanwhile, for the uncapped option, CSK will undoubtedly opt for MS Dhoni for 4 Cr.

#2: Delhi Capitals

Rishabh Pant – 18 Cr
Axar Patel – 14 Cr
Abhishek Porel – 4 Cr

Coming to Delhi Capitals, they should only retain three players including one uncapped player. Rishabh Pant should be the highest retained player for DC for 18 Cr, and Axar Patel should follow him at 14 Cr. DC could have thought of retaining a third player, but frankly, there isn’t any player worth investing for 11 Cr. Hence, Delhi should use RTM cards on three more capped players. Whereas for uncapped player, Delhi Capitals should mostly opt for Abhishek Porel.

#3: Gujarat Titans

Shubman Gil – 18 Cr
Rashid Khan – 16 Cr
Mohammed Shami 11 Cr
Mohit Sharma – 4 Cr

Gujarat Titans should mostly retain four players, and keep two options for RTM. Among retained players, Gujarat Titans will look at Shubman Gill at the highest price bracket of 18 Cr. Rashid Khan should follow him at 16 Cr wherein he could demand 2 Cr more than usual 14 Cr. For the third option, GT will mostly opt for Mohammed Shami at 11 Cr. Whereas for uncapped player, GT will mostly opt for Mohit Sharma for 4 Cr.

#4: Kolkata Knight Riders

Shreyas Iyer – 14 Cr (Blocked 18 Cr)
Andre Russell – 14 Cr
Rinku Singh – 11 Cr
Harshit Rana – 4 Cr

Coming to KKR, the team will be really happy to see Harshit Rana remaining as an uncapped player ahead of the deadline for submitting the retention list. So, with Harshit Rana as the confirmed uncapped retention for 4 Cr, KKR will retain Shreyas Iyer and Andre Russell for 14 Cr with the blocked amount being 32 Cr for both. Whereas for the third player, KRK will mostly opt for Rinku Singh above Sunil Narine for 11Cr. This way, KKR will still have two RTM options available.

#5: Lucknow Super Giants

KL Rahul – 18 Cr
Nicholas Pooran – 14 Cr
Ayush Badoni – 4 Cr

LSG should mostly go about retaining only three players with three potential three RTM options still open. The team should retain KL Rahul for 18 Cr, Nicholas Pooran for 14 Cr, and Ayush Badoni as an uncapped player for 4 Cr. They can still for for a third player for 11 Cr, but it will be better to target the likes of Bishnoi, Mayank, de Kock, or Marcus Stoinis in the Auction via RTM card.

#6: Mumbai Indians

Hardik Pandya – 18 Cr
Rohit Sharma – 18 Cr
Jasprit Bumrah – 14 Cr
Suryakumar Yadav – 14 Cr
Ishan Kishan – 11 Cr
Nehal Wadhera – 4 Cr

Coming to Mumbai Indians, they could retain the most number of players, six for IPL 2025. Rohit Sharma had a love-hate relationship with Mumbai Indians in 2025 after losing the captaincy, but MI should most-likely convince Rohit Sharma to stay with MI during his final years in the Indian Premier League. So, overall, MI should retain Hardik and Rohit for 18 Cr, Bumrah and SKY for 14 Cr, and Ishan Kishan for 11 Cr. Whereas for the uncapped player, MI should opt for Nehal Wadhera for 4 Cr

#7: Punjab Kings

Shashank Singh – 4 Cr
Ashutosh Sharma – 4 Cr

Talking about Punjab Kings, they should retain the least number of players, just two. The reason for retaining such less number of players is pretty simple for the Punjab Kings. The team currently doesn’t have any quality player that is valued at 18 Cr. Hence, even if they had to retain one capped player, they will have to shell out 18 Cr for that. So, it would be better for PBKS to use all four RTM cards in the Auction. Meanwhile, the team will retain two uncapped players for 4 Cr each, and those are Shashank Singh and Ashutosh Sharma.

#8: Rajasthan Royals

Sanju Samson – 18 Cr
Jos Buttler – 14 Cr
Yashasvi Jaiswal 11 Cr
Tanush Kotian – 4 Cr

The Rajasthan Royals team will go about retaining four players, and using RTM cards on two players. Sanju Samson should be retained at the highest price bracket of 18 Cr. Jos Buttler should follow him at 14 Cr, and Yashasvi Jaiswal should be next at 11 Cr. Finally, for the uncapped player, RR may mostly opt for the all-round abilities of Tanush Kotian for 4 Cr. For the RTM options, RR will mostly look at Riyan Parag, Yuzvendra Chahal, and Trent Boult.

#9: Royal Challengers Bengaluru

Virat Kohli – 18 Cr
Glenn Maxwell – 14 Cr
Yash Dayal – 4 Cr

Royal Challengers Bengaluru looks like retaining three players, and using RTM cards on three more players. This is honestly the best-case scenario for RCB, and that way, they will be able to create a smart team. The team should retain Virat Kohli for 18 Cr, Glenn Maxwell for 14 Cr, and then Yash Dayal as an uncapped player for 4 Cr. They can still retain one from Siraj, Faf, Green, or Patidar for 11 Cr, but using RTM cards will be a wiser choice on these players.

#10: Sunrisers Hyderabad

Pat Cummins – 18 Cr
Travis Head 14 Cr
Nitish Reddy – 11 Cr
Abdul Samad – 4 Cr

For Sunrisers Hyderabad, the team will mostly look at retaining four players, and then using the RTM card on two players. Pat Cummins should mostly get retained at the highest price bracket of 18 Cr. Accompanying him should be Travis Head for 14 Cr, and then Nitish Reddy for 11 Cr. For uncapped player, SRH should mostly opt for Abdul Samad for 4 Cr. Meanwhile for RTM options, SRH will look at Abhishek Sharma and Heinrich Klaasen.