Photo Credit: Instagram Photos of @sureshraina3, @a.t.rayudu
IPL veterans Suresh Raina and Ambati Rayudu are advocating for increased player retention ahead of the 2025 IPL auction, arguing that maintaining a stable core helps teams succeed in the T20 league.
In the 2022 mega auction, teams were allowed to retain up to four players. With the end of the three-year cycle, another mega auction is approaching, but teams have differing opinions on retention limits.
Some teams favor retaining up to eight players, while others prefer four or five. The IPL Governing Council has not yet made a decision on this issue.
“Personally I feel retentions have to be a lot more because a franchise invests a lot on player, the core of the team is what makes every team unique in the IPL so the longer the core remains the culture of the team remains.
“There is a great chance of success. Retentions have to be and there needs be lot of retentions. It can’t be one or two. All the important players should be retained,” said Rayudu.
Raina could not agree more with his former Chennai Super Kings teammate.
“I 100 percent agree with Rayudu. The mega auction should be every three years. The IPL Governing Council will do what is best for the game,” said Raina.
The BCCI has recently named Suryakumar Yadav as India’s T20 captain, choosing him over Hardik Pandya. He is likely to lead the team in the 2026 T20 World Cup. However, Raina believes vice-captain Shubman Gill is poised to lead the team in the long term.
“Shubman Gill is a super star. Gill is vice captain it means someone is thinking about him. If he does well in the IPL and win the trophy he is the future . He will be the next super star,” said Raina.
Raina is also eager for Rishabh Pant’s return to Test cricket after nearly two years.
“He is looking very good. He scored a fifty in Duleep Trophy. He has been keeping well. When you talk about a Test match you play it session by session.
“Bangladesh have done well against Pakistan. They have got good spinners, it will be interesting to see how the Indians bat against them,” added Raina.
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