The IPL franchises have announced their list of retained players for the upcoming auction, with hefty sums being shelled out to keep top stars on each team. Sunrisers Hyderabad retained South African batsman Heinrich Klaasen for a record-breaking 23 Crore Indian Rupees, closely followed by RCB's Virat Kohli and Lucknow Super Giants' Nicholas Pooran. While each team was allowed to retain up to six players, Chennai Super Kings made an unexpected move by retaining MS Dhoni as an "uncapped" player for a base value of 4 Crore Indian Rupees. Stay tuned to see who else will make the cut for the 2025 season.
IPL 2025 Player Retention: Franchisees Shell Out Hefty Sums
Ahead of the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) auction, the franchises have released their lists of retained players. As expected, several top stars have been retained for eye-watering sums.
Sunrisers Hyderabad's Record-Breaking Bid
The most notable move was Sunrisers Hyderabad's record-breaking bid for South African batsman Heinrich Klaasen. The franchise shelled out a staggering 23 Crore Indian Rupees (approximately $3 million) to retain Klaasen, making him the highest-paid player in IPL history.
RCB's Virat Kohli and LSG's Nicholas Pooran Close Behind
Royal Challengers Bangalore retained their talismanic captain, Virat Kohli, for 22 Crore Indian Rupees (approximately $2.9 million). Lucknow Super Giants also made a significant investment in Nicholas Pooran, retaining him for 21 Crore Indian Rupees (approximately $2.8 million).
Chennai Super Kings' Surprise Move
Chennai Super Kings surprised many by retaining MS Dhoni as an "uncapped" player for a base value of 4 Crore Indian Rupees (approximately $533,000). This move suggests that Dhoni, despite being 42 years old, is still considered a valuable asset to the team.
Top 5 FAQs Related to IPL Player Retention
Why is Heinrich Klaasen so highly valued? Klaasen is a dynamic wicketkeeper-batsman who has consistently performed well in various T20 leagues worldwide. He is seen as a key player for the South African national team and has been impressive for Sunrisers Hyderabad in recent seasons.
Why did Chennai Super Kings retain Dhoni as an "uncapped" player? This move essentially means that Dhoni will not count against CSK's salary cap. It suggests that CSK still values Dhoni's leadership, experience, and mentoring abilities.
Who were the biggest snubs in the retention process? Some notable players who were not retained include David Warner, Shikhar Dhawan, and Ravichandran Ashwin. These players may garner significant interest in the auction.
What is the significance of the upcoming IPL auction? The IPL auction provides teams with an opportunity to fill their squads with the best available players. Teams can sign players from India and around the world, giving them a chance to assemble well-balanced, competitive rosters.
When and where is the IPL auction taking place? The IPL auction for the 2025 season is scheduled to be held on March 15, 2025, in Mumbai, India.
Indian opener Yashasvi Jaiswal made history on Sunday as he became the third Indian to score a century in his first Test match in Australia. Jaiswal's feat is now on par with Motganhalli Jaisimha and legendary Sunil Gavaskar, who also achieved the same milestone in 1968 and 1977 respectively. Despite a shaky start with an eight-ball duck in the first inning, Jaiswal reached the 100-run mark with a six off Josh Hazlewood in the second inning.
Barcelona, the current leaders of La Liga, suffered a shocking collapse in their match against Celta Vigo, ending in a 2-2 draw. Coach Hansi Flick expressed his disappointment in the team's poor performance, calling it "nothing like what we want to see." With this result, Barcelona remains five points clear at the top of the table, but their inability to secure three points without star player Lamine Yamal is cause for concern.
The IPL 2025 Auction promises to be an extravaganza as a total of 577 cricketers, including late entries like England's Jofra Archer and USA's Saurabh Netravalkar, will go under the hammer. With only 10 franchises vying for 201 available slots, the auction is expected to trigger fierce bidding wars. While Punjab Kings have the biggest purse, Rajasthan Royals will have a challenging task with limited budget. The addition of three international players has also added more diversity to the player pool, making it a must-watch event for all cricket fans.
Yashasvi Jaiswal, the young left-handed batter, made a remarkable debut in the ongoing Test series against Australia, becoming only the third Indian player to score a century in their first Test Down Under. Jaiswal, aged just 19, hit an impressive six to bring up his maiden Test hundred, surpassing Sunil Gavaskar's record for the highest individual score by an Indian player in their first Test in Australia. His partnership with KL Rahul also broke the record for India's highest opening partnership in Australia, cementing his place as one of India's most promising Test players. With his impressive form, all eyes are on Jaiswal to see if he can convert his century into a big score and help guide India to victory in the second Test.
James Maddison's first-half brace propels Tottenham to a shock 4-0 victory over reigning champions Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium. Despite missing key players, City's dominance in possession and chances created was not enough to overcome a clinical and opportunistic Spurs side. Maddison, along with Dejan Kulusevski, were in top form and provided a creative spark that was too much for City to handle. The defeat puts City further behind title rivals Liverpool and raises questions about their ability to bounce back from injuries.
With 577 players shortlisted and a chance for a major overhaul of squads, the upcoming IPL 2025 mega auction is set to be a thrilling and intense event. With only six players allowed to be retained by each franchise, many stars from around the world will be vying for coveted contracts, leading to potential bidding wars. This article provides an overview of the mega auction and how it differs from the mini auction held every few years.
In a high stakes match between two top contenders, Mohun Bagan Super Giant defeated Jamshedpur FC with an impressive 3-0 scoreline. With this win, Mohun Bagan SG has climbed to the top of the Indian Super League standings, overtaking Bengaluru FC on goal difference. The match, held at the iconic Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata, saw a dominant performance by Mohun Bagan SG, led by star player Alberto Rodriguez Martin.
Barcelona faces a tough game against Celta Vigo as they struggle to find their rhythm and control of the match. Despite their high line tactic and the return of player Gavi, the team fails to keep up with a relentless Celta Vigo attack. Star player Iago Aspas misses a crucial opportunity, leaving the match scoreless.
After a four-game losing streak, Manchester City are hoping to turn things around as they face Tottenham. Arsenal's win over Nottingham Forest helps them stay in the race for their first Premier League title in over 20 years, thanks to a strong performance from Martin Odegaard, who returned from injury. Meanwhile, Chelsea remain ahead of Arsenal on goal difference after a win against Leicester in Enzo Maresca's first game as manager.
Chelsea emerged victorious against Leicester with a 2-1 win, thanks to goals from Nicolas Jackson and Enzo Fernandez in the first and second half respectively. Mads Hermansen's save and a disallowed goal added to the intensity of the game, but the visitors held on to secure all three points. This win puts Chelsea just one point behind 2nd placed Manchester City in the Premier League standings.