IPL 2025: Four captains who got released by their franchises

The IPL 2025 mega auction will see several high-profile players being up for grabs, including three skippers of last season.

On October 31, the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises announced their player retentions ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction. Several franchises have made bold moves by releasing big-name players, and a few of them have even released their captains of IPL 2024!

In a surprising turn, four prominent skippers have been let go by their respective teams, paving the way for new leadership strategies and potential reshuffles in team composition in the IPL 2025 mega auction. Here’s a closer look at the captains who have been released.

IPL 2025: Four captains who got released by their franchises

4. Faf Du Plessis – Royal Challengers Bengaluru

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) has taken a sweeping approach in preparation for IPL 2025 by releasing nearly their entire squad, including captain Faf du Plessis. This drastic restructuring leaves only three players— Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar, and Yash Dayal — on their retained list. The United Breweries-owned franchise is yet to capture their maiden IPL title and appears focused on building a squad from scratch with fresh talent and a revamped strategy. This shake-up justifies their lack of success in the IPL as the franchise will pray and hope for the change of fortunes this time around.

3. KL Rahul – Lucknow Super Giants (LSG)

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) made headlines with the release of their captain KL Rahul. Known for his consistency and leadership qualities, Rahul’s departure marks a significant change for LSG, who have retained a core group of promising players for IPL 2025.

With Nicholas Pooran, Ravi Bishnoi, Mayank Yadav, Ayush Badoni, and Mohsin Khan staying on, LSG seems to be banking on modern T20 players while moving away from Rahul. The release of such a high-profile player hints at a potential shift towards a more dynamic squad, likely looking to create a new synergy and exploit the auction’s opportunities.

LSG owner Sanjiv Goenka said the franchise wanted to retain players with a “mindset to win” and those who “put the team before their personal goals and aspirations,” tacitly hinting at Rahul’s strike rate of 130 in the last three seasons.

2. Rishabh Pant – Delhi Capitals (DC)

The Delhi Capitals (DC) have parted ways with Rishabh Pant, their charismatic captain and a key player for nearly a decade. Pant’s release follows disagreements reportedly due to certain commitments he requested from the franchise that the management wasn’t ready to fulfill. This decision concludes an eight-year-long association between Pant and the Delhi outfit, creating a vacuum in DC’s leadership. 

However, the Capitals have retained a strong core, including Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Tristan Stubbs, and Abhishek Porel. The franchise appears set on restructuring around these retained players as it aims to bring a fresh approach to the upcoming season.

1. Shreyas Iyer – Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)

Shreyas Iyer, the captain who led Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to an IPL title after a decade, has shockingly been released. Under Iyer’s leadership, KKR clinched the IPL 2024 title, marking a significant achievement for the franchise.

The exact reasons for Iyer’s departure from KKR are not yet known. However, according to a report in Cricbuzz, Iyer asked for a hefty retention fee that KKR didn’t agree to.

With a solid, balanced squad already in place, KKR opted for continuity within its core lineup by retaining Andre Russell, Rinku Singh, Sunil Narine, Varun Chakravarthy, Ramandeep Singh and Harshit Rana. The release of Shreyas Iyer opens up possibilities for new leadership within the KKR camp, who may look to bring in a captain who aligns with the franchise’s future vision.

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