IPL 2025: MS Dhoni Among Chennai Super Kings’ Retentions
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have retained their former Captain and of course the face of their franchise, MS Dhoni among five of its players. Among others, the retained list included players like Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ravindra Jadeja, Shivam Dube, and Sri Lankan pacer Matheesha Pathirana. Their decision reflects a mix of veteran talent and emerging talent within CSK. Chennai Super Kings’ Landscape Of Bidding Although it is not known how much CSK will pay for each retained player, this set of retentions would strip the franchise of at least INR 65 crore from its overall purse of INR 120 crore. The five players picked here leave CSK with just one RTM option during the auction, which puts it well in the overall landscape of bidding. Dhoni’s Uncapped Status Now 43 years old, Dhoni is likely to be retained in the uncapped category. This status is special because the IPL recently announced a rule wherein players who have not played international cricket for five years can be considered “uncapped.” Dhoni last represented India during the 2019 ODI World Cup. Thus, he is eligible for this category and will allow CSK to play flexibility with their auction purse. Dhoni’s New Role in CSK and His Future Plans After having invested the CSK captaincy in Gaikwad before the season of the IPL 2024, Dhoni turned more on the fringes as a player and batted just marginally and played little cricket with very less role for him in batting. Although he retained his place as a primary wicket-keeper for the side, he got to face just 73 balls in the last 11 innings played by CSK. Moreover, those were mainly the overs where he was brought down in the latter end, No. 8 or No. 9 in most cases so as not to exert his muscles after a knee surgery early in the year 2023. Dhoni has recently said that he would like to enjoy whatever last few years of cricket he is able to play and his scarce batting appearances in IPL 2024 were an opportunity for players like Dube and Jadeja to show their skills and make their case for selection into the Indian Cricket Team before the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
IPL 2025: Gujarat Titans Likely To Retain Five Core Players
Gujarat Titans (GT) are expected to retain five players going into the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 mega auction. Players expected to be retained from the side include Shubman Gill, Rashid Khan, B Sai Sudharsan, Rahul Tewatia and Shahrukh Khan. This will give them only one right-to-match card option for the IPL 2025 auction. Budget Impact For Gujarat Titans Under the IPL rules, each franchise is allowed to retain as many as six players ahead of the 2025 auction, with the maximum allowed being five capped internationals and two uncapped. Retaining three capped players and two uncapped players will cost GT at least INR 51 crore from their INR 120 crore budget, though amounts for each of their contracts remain undisclosed. The minimum the IPL retain will be of INR 18 crore to the first, INR 14 to the second and INR 11 for the third; the minimum to the fourth will also be INR 18, and for the fifth, it’s INR 14. The value will be at INR 4 crore for the uncapped one, but the teams must negotiate themselves for more dollars. Gill And Rashid: The Franchise Pillars Shubman Gill and Rashid Khan are both the bedrock of the Gujarat Titans since it became part of the IPL. Gill was signed for a value of INR 8 crore, while Rashid was signed for the more handsome amount of INR 15 crore. With 24 years already ticking away, Gill was given the command when their former Captain Hardik Pandya was released to Mumbai Indians. For now, Rashid will go on to be one of their top bowling all-rounders. Rising Star Sudharsan The decision to prefer 23-year-old Sai Sudharsan over seasoned internationals such as Mohammed Shami and David Miller could raise some eyebrows, but GT sees him as a top-order mainstay for the future. Bought for INR 20 lakhs in 2022, Sudharsan, who had aggregated 527 runs in IPL 2024 with an average rising toward 48, brought back his strike rate as also up to 141. Already, he has long been considered a test prospect by India selectors and his team management, talking also on the eve of this Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Tewatia And Shahrukh: Power Down The Order Rahul Tewatia and Shahrukh Khan are the uncapped all-rounders who have been known to be powerful hitters. With this, GT has enriched its lower middle order further. Tewatia is an old finisher bought for INR 9 crore in 2022 and has given tremendous guidance to the leadership group with his insights on domestic players. Shahrukh is an extremely handy lower-order batsman and part-time off-spinner, picked in the 2024 auction for INR 7.4 crore and widely reckoned to be one of the hardest hitters in the domestic circuit. Final Retentions To Be Out Before October 31 Teams will be allowed to file their final list of retained players before October 31 as the IPL 2025 auction promises changes all round. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
IPL 2025 Mega Auction: All You Need To Know In A Q&A Format
With the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 Mega Auction just around the corner, franchises are finalizing player retention and fans are eagerly waiting for updates on team compositions. So, here’s a comprehensive Q&A on everything you want to know before the big day. Q1: How many players can each IPL team retain before the mega auction? As many as six players can be retained by each team from their IPL 2024 roster. Those can include a maximum of five capped internationals and two uncapped Indian players. This six-player retention limit helps retain the core for teams before the auction. Q2: What is the cost of player retention for teams? Every IPL franchise has a budget of INR 120 crore for building their squads for the 2025 season, up 20% from last year. Here is the list: First retained player: INR 18 croreSecond retained player: INR 14 croreThird retained player: INR 11 croreFourth retained player: INR 18 croreFifth retained player: INR 14 croreEvery uncapped Indian player: INR 4 crore If a team continues to retain five capped players then they will lose at least INR 75 crores from their purse. Q3: Are the five capped players to be decided or split by the team within the retention amount? Yes. The amount of INR 75 crore that is required to retain five capped players can be split in any proportion, but the total amount cannot exceed INR 75 crore. So, if a franchise wants to retain its star player at INR 23 crore, it could retain a fifth player at a lower amount to balance the budget. Q4: What’s the buzz around player retention and the challenges teams face? Sunrisers Hyderabad has only fueled the controversy with reports that it plans to retain Heinrich Klaasen for INR 23 crore. In this case, the other teams like Mumbai Indians who are planning to retain the marquee players Hardik Pandya, Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah and Suryakumar Yadav, would be the ones having to make tricky decisions regarding fair distribution of their retention purse. Besides, there is talk that the players such as Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer may also choose to go for the auction rather than retention. Q5: What is the Right-to-Match (RTM) option and how does it work? The RTM option allows teams to bid back for players during the auction if they did not retain them earlier. Here’s how it works. A team that retains less than six players on October 31 can use RTM options in the mega auction. If they retain three players, for instance, they are eligible to use three RTM options. In the IPL 2025 auction, if the former player of a team is sold by another franchise, the selling team has an option to match the highest and buy back the player However, this year, with a new twist, should a team exercise an RTM, the highest bidding franchise can raise their original bid again. The exercising team must then match this new, higher bid so that they can secure the player. Q6. How does the RTM rule affect uncapped players? If an IPL franchise has retained five capped players, they can only use their RTM option to buy back an uncapped player. If two uncapped players are already retained, teams can’t use RTM on an additional uncapped player during the auction. Q7: Why is MS Dhoni now considered an uncapped player and how does that impact Chennai Super Kings? The IPL has brought back a regulation through which players who retired, or have not played cricket at the international level within the last five years of the draft, would go under the uncapped segment. This ensures the Chennai Super Kings can keep MS Dhoni as an uncapped player and forfeit just INR 4 crores from their purse while the rest can be more. Q8: Can a player decline retention by his own IPL franchise? Yes. A player can decline a retention offered by his very own IPL franchise and go under the hammer. Also, no trades of players allowed between the date of the retention on October 31, 2024 and the start of IPL 2025 season. Q9: When is the IPL 2025 Mega Auction? Although the official date for the IPL 2025 Mega Auction is yet not declared, it is supposed to happen in the last week of November. The IPL auction generally happens over two days. The retention deadline draws near on October 31st, 2024 and teams build up on their strategies ahead of what is to be an exciting IPL 2025 Mega Auction. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
IPL 2025: BCCI Looks for Saudi Arabia as Venue for Mega Auction
BCCI is looking at Riyadh and Jeddah as possible destinations for the much-awaited IPL 2025 mega auction that is scheduled to take place in the last week of November. It was earlier considered to be held in Dubai, however not anymore. The BCCI officials are said to have found it challenging to source a suitable venue or hotel in Saudi Arabia since the costs have gone higher than what it used to be in Dubai where the last IPL auction took place successfully in December 2023. Even though the Indian Premier League franchises and BCCI boast of financial muscles, the search for the right location seems tight. London First Perturbation London was initially considered, but BCCI removed the UK from their list citing unfavourable cold weather at this time of the year. Now, they are eyeing a venue that will easily accommodate an auction spread over two days and a huge IPL entourage involving 10 franchise representatives and other major broadcasters like Jio and Disney Star. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
IPL 2025: Key Takeaways From IPL Franchises And BCCI Meeting
It was a crunch sitting at Wankhede Stadium where owners of IPL franchises sat on Wednesday, 31st July, 2024 to discuss the future of player retention and the highly debated mega auction system. It soon changed into a heated debate regarding the relevance and sustainability of the mega auction, and a huge divide among franchises became evident. Key Figures Raise Their Concerns It was inside a meeting on the fourth floor of the BCCI headquarters that some of the biggest names in the IPL ownership circle lambasted the mega auction. Shah Rukh Khan, owner of Kolkata Knight Riders, and Sunrisers Hyderabad’s Kavya Maran were the most vocal against the mega auction, asking for it to be scrapped. Both teams were finalists in the IPL 2024 and hence, the owners argued that the present structure disrupts the continuity of a team, which is a precondition for brand building and the retention of fans’ interest. Tensions Flare Between KKR and PBKS Owners When it came to the process of retention, Shah Rukh Khan, as usual, got highly involved with KKR; an eyewitness said that Shah Rukh Khan was embroiled in a hot debate with Ness Wadia, Punjab Kings co-owner. It would go on to informed discussions, but Wadia later denied any personal vendetta and said all stakeholders’ interests needed to be taken into consideration. “I have known Shah Rukh for over 25 years. There is no animosity here,” said Wadia while outlining a solution fair for all franchises. SRH Supports KKR’s Stance Supporting the stance of KKR, Kavya Maran from SRH opined that smaller auctions perhaps was the way ahead considering the stress it was to have a balanced side with the existing system in place. Using Abhishek Sharma as an example, whose journey to consistency took years, she spoke of a developing story of times and investment required in young talent. Delhi Capitals Opposes To this end, on the other side of this argument, Parth Jindal of Delhi Capitals responded to this by supporting the mega auction. He said, “having a mega auction makes it fair and keeps us competitive“. He further said he did not like the view to have the Impact Player rule continued as it hampers the development of allrounders in Indian cricket. Others on the franchisee level present for the meeting were Kiran Kumar Grandhi of Delhi Capitals, Sanjiv Goenka of Lucknow Super Giants, Rupa Gurunath of Chennai Super Kings, Manoj Badale of Rajasthan Royals and Prathmesh Mishra of Royal Challengers Bangalore. Some, such as Ambanis of Mumbai Indians, used video conferencing. BCCI Responds and the Future Steps Finally, after the deliberations, the BCCI released a statement admitting to the various views expressed by the franchise owners. The Board said that the inputs regarding player regulations and commercial matters, including central merchandising and licensing, would be taken up by the IPL Governing Council and reconsidered. Still Awaiting the Final Verdict As the cricketing world has to now wait and watch for the final decision of the BCCI, the mega auction further does go on to underline the complexities of balancing competition with the business interests for the diverse stakeholders associated with the IPL. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
IPL 2025: Here’s What Franchises Proposed Ahead Of 2025 Auction
In a series of feedback sessions with the Indian Premier League (IPL) officials, franchises have suggested several substantial changes to the player retention process, aiming to ensure more stability and strategic depth in team compositions. The next steps will be discussed in an upcoming meeting between IPL officials and franchise representatives, which will take place on 31st of July, 2024. Here are a couple of key suggestions from the franchises. 1. Mega Auction Cycle Change Franchises are advocating for the IPL mega auction to be held once every five years instead of the current three-year cycle. According to a senior franchise official, this change would offer multiple benefits, including the opportunity for teams to build continuity by developing young, especially uncapped Indian players. The longer cycle would incentivize franchises to continue investing in their grassroots academies without the immediate threat of losing nurtured talent to rival teams. 2. Retention and RTM Options Teams have proposed the ability to retain between four and six players, coupled with eight Right-to-Match (RTM) options. One of the franchise CEOs suggested allowing teams to retain one marquee player, such as the captain, with the rest being retained through RTMs, thus letting the market determine player prices and reducing potential dissatisfaction among retained players regarding their monetary value. 3. Salary Renegotiations Another proposal involves allowing franchises to renegotiate player salaries between mega auctions. This would help teams retain their core players and reach better terms with players originally acquired at lower prices. The process would be transparent, with new contracts declared to the IPL, however would be controlled by the franchise without players having the option to be released. Historical Context and Current Challenges Historically, the IPL has conducted mega auctions in four-year cycles twice in the last decade. The first was in 2018, following the 2014 auction and the return of Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals from suspension. The COVID-19 pandemic caused the 2021 mega auction to be deferred by a year, leading to an extension of player contracts. Currently, franchises face challenges with players, particularly those who were uncapped and bought at low prices but have since become maga contributors or international players. These players might prefer re-entering the auction to secure higher contracts, which could be seen as unfair by the franchises that initially identified and developed them. Varied Responses to RTM-Only Proposal One of the franchises has proposed using only RTM options without any direct retentions, providing eight RTM options per team. The idea has received mixed reactions. Some franchises believe it promotes a level playing field, while others fear it could disrupt their auction strategy as rivals might drive up player prices. Focus on Fan Engagement Several franchises stretched on the importance of creating a loyal fan base. With frequent squad overhauls every three years, maintaining fan loyalty becomes challenging. Franchises argue that longer retention periods would help build stronger connections with fans, fostering a sense of loyalty and engagement. IPL officials and franchise representatives are expected to discuss these suggestions in detail in the forthcoming meeting. Other topics likely to be on the agenda include the Impact Player rule, which has received mixed feedback, the purse for the IPL 2025 auction and potential changes to the salary cap deduction for retained players. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
