IPL 2025: Top 10 most expensive players retained by franchises

MS Dhoni has been retained for only INR 4 crores by CSK for IPL 2025.

On October 31st, all 10 Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises submitted the list of their retained players ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction.

Several players such as Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni, Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, Travis Head, and Sunil Narine who were expected to be retained have been retained. However, a few big-name players, including captains KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, and Shreyas Iyer, have been released.

Three players have been retained for over INR 20 crore as well! In this article, let us see the top 10 most expensive players retained ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction.

IPL 2025: Top 10 most expensive players retained by franchises

10. Jasprit Bumrah (MI) – 18 crores

Fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah has been retained in the top bracket by Mumbai Indians for INR 18 crores for IPL 2025. Three other senior players – Hardik Pandya, Rohit Sharma, and Suryakumar Yadav – have been retained for a lower price than the Indian spearhead.

Bumrah is arguably the best fast bowler in the world and an asset for any team he plays for. He picked 20 wickets last season despite MI finishing last.

9. Ruturaj Gaikwad (CSK) – 18 crores

CSK captain Ruturaj Gaikwad is their top retention for IPL 2025. He has been retained for INR 18 crores, the joint most expensive for the side as all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja.

Gaikwad led CSK for the first time last season, taking over the duties from MS Dhoni. But the franchise failed to reach the playoffs after losing their last league game against RCB.

8. Ravindra Jadeja (CSK) – 18 crores

Ravindra Jadeja, despite retiring from T20Is, continues to hold high stocks in the IPL market as CSK have retained him for INR 18 crores, the same as captain Gaikwad.

In IPL 2024, Jadeja scored 222 runs at a strike rate of 160 and snapped only eight wickets in 14 games.

7. Pat Cummins (SRH) – 18 crores

Pat Cummins has taken a pay cut. He was bought for INR 20.5 crores by SRH at the IPL 2024 auction, but has now been retained at INR 18 crores for IPL 2025.

Cummins was made the skipper for the first time in the IPL and delivered positive results instantly for SRH as he took them to their first IPL final since 2018. However, they lost the final to Kolkata Knight Riders. This retention also means Cummins is now unlikely to skip the IPL 2025 season for rest or workload management reasons.

To go with his excellent leadership, Cummins did superbly as a bowler too, snapping 18 wickets.

6. Rashid Khan (GT) – 18 crores

Rashid Khan has been retained in the top bracket by Gujarat Titans, and not captain Shubman Gill. Rashid will fetch a salary of INR 18 crores for IPL 2025 from GT.

Rashid didn’t have a great season last time, managing 10 wickets in 12 games. His failure to pick up wickets regularly was one of the big reasons that Gujarat couldn’t reach the playoffs.

5. Sanju Samson (RR) – 18 crores

Rajasthan Royals captain Sanju Samson has been retained for IPL 2025 for INR 18 crores, which is an increment of INR 4 crores from his salary last season.

Samson captained RR to the playoffs last season after finishing third in the points table. They defeated RCB in the Eliminator but lost to SRH in Qualifier 2. Samson was terrific with the bat, smashing 531 runs at a strike rate of 153 with five fifties.

4. Yashasvi Jaiswal (RR) – 18 crores

At INR 18 crores, Yashasvi Jaiswal is the joint-most expensive player retained by RR ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction.

Jaiswal had a decent season last time, scoring 435 runs at a strike rater of 155 with one century and one fifty. Given that he is young and an established player now, there is a huge upside that RR saw in splurging INR 18 crores, the same as they did for skipper Samson, to retain Jaiswal.

3. Nicholas Pooran (LSG) – 21 crores

KL Rahul has been released by Lucknow Super Giants and West Indies’ wicket-keeper batter Nicholas Pooran is their most expensive and top retention. Pooran has been retained by LSG for INR 21 crores and is the joint-second-most expensive player among those who have been retained ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction.

Pooran is also likely to get the captaincy of LSG for next season. In IPL 2024, the left-hander whacked 499 runs at a strike rate of 178.

2. Virat Kohli (RCB) – 21 crores

RCB’s biggest star and IPL’s leading run-scorer, Virat Kohli, has been retained for INR 21 crores for IPL 2025. Only one player has been retained for a higher amount than Kohli and Pooran.

There are also reports suggesting that Kohli could lead RCB in IPL 2025 as they have released Faf du Plessis.

Kohli bagged the Orange Cap in IPL 2024 for amassing 741 runs with one century and five half-centuries.

1. Heinrich Klaasen (SRH) – 23 crores

SRH’s Heinrich Klaasen is the most expensive retained player ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction for INR 23 crores. The South Africa power-hitter has been one of the most destructive middle-order T20 batsmen in the world over the last couple of years.

In IPL 2024, Klaasen walloped 479 runs at a strike rate of 171 with four half-centuries.

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