IPL 2025 Sees KKR, SRH Pushing For More Player Retentions In Mega Auction

In Mumbai on Wednesday, July 31, IPL team owners and the BCCI convened to discuss crucial elements for IPL 2025. The meeting aimed to streamline policies and address key aspects of the upcoming tournament.

The dialogue included representatives from all IPL teams, focusing on various tournament policies ahead of the 2025 edition. This gathering was essential for aligning the interests of team owners with the BCCI's vision for the league.

Shah Rukh Khan of Kolkata Knight Riders and Kavya Maran of Sunrisers Hyderabad supported retaining more players. Conversely, Punjab Kings preferred fewer retentions.

During the meeting, Shah Rukh Khan argued passionately against mega auctions. He reportedly had a heated exchange with Ness Wadia of Punjab Kings over retention numbers. While Shah Rukh favoured major retentions, Wadia opposed having too many.

Kavya Maran backed KKR's stance, emphasising that building a squad requires time and investment. She noted that younger players need time to mature, citing Abhishek Sharma's three-year journey to consistency as an example.

"It takes a lot of time to build a squad and as discussed it also takes quite a bit of time and investment for the younger players to mature. It has taken Abhishek Sharma three years to become consistent with his performances. You would agree that there are many such examples in other teams too," she was quoted as saying by Cricbuzz.

The BCCI mentioned that franchise owners provided feedback on player regulations and commercial aspects like central merchandising and licensing. These recommendations will be reviewed by the IPL Governing Council, with decisions expected by month's end.

Parth Jindal of Delhi Capitals expressed surprise over the debate about continuing with big auctions and confirmed his support for them. Other attendees included Kiran Kumar Grandhi and Parth Jindal from Delhi Capitals, Sanjiv Goenka from Lucknow Super Giants, Rupa Gurunath from Chennai Super Kings, Manoj Badale from Rajasthan Royals, and Prathmesh Mishra from Royal Challengers Bangalore. Some owners joined via video conference, including the Ambanis of Mumbai Indians.

The majority of teams favoured retaining around five to six players. Discussions also included increasing the auction purse for teams.