Recently the IPL decided that a franchise can retain up to six players – including a maximum of five capped players (Indian or overseas)/two uncapped Indians – from their 2024 squads. Franchises can hold on to their players either solely via retention deals, solely through right-to-match (RTM) cards at the auction, or a combination of both.
The purse for the 2025 auction is INR 120 crore. The IPL also set various retention slabs – INR 18 crore, INR 14 crore, and INR 11 crore for the first three capped retentions, and INR 18 crore and INR 14 crore for the next two, with uncapped Indians fetching a maximum of INR 4 crore – but franchises are allowed to divide the capped retention pot of INR 75 crore among five capped players as they wish.
Winning units have always looked to retain their core, and hence it comes as no surprise that Sunrirsers have decided to go down this route. Cummins, who was the second-most expensive buy at the 2024 mini auction (INR 20.50 crore or USD 2.469 million approx.), made use of his leadership experience in international cricket and combined well with Sunrisers coach Daniel Vettori to help steer Sunrisers to the playoffs after three disappointing seasons. In monetary terms, Cummins gets a 12.2% reduction on his 2024 price.
The freedom the Cummins-Vettori leadership group allowed youngsters like Abhishek and Reddy helped them flourish in the company of Head and Klaasen. Head and Abhishek formed arguably the most dangerous opening pair ever seen at the IPL, with both consistently hitting 200-plus strike rates. Head finished the season fourth on the overall run-getters list, with 567 runs in 15 innings at a strike rate of 191.55.
Klaasen’s burgeoning reputation as one of the best T20 batters going around is reflected in a 338% increase from the INR 5.25 crore figure Sunrisers paid for him at the mini auction ahead of IPL 2023. He has aggregated 927 runs in 26 innings at a strike rate of 174 in his two seasons at Sunrisers so far.
Abhishek’s breakout year in T20 cricket sees him rewarded with a value hike of 124%. He earned an India T20I call-up on the back of his IPL 2024 exploits, and will earn more than twice what SRH paid for him at the mega auction ahead of the 2022 season (INR 6.5 crore).
