Most Expensive Retained Players in IPL 2025: Top Retentions and Franchises’ Budgets

The excitement for IPL 2025 is reaching new heights, with franchise retentions setting the stage for an epic season. Each team has carefully chosen key players to retain, with some taking the bold step of investing significant funds in retaining star talent. This year’s retention list reveals some surprising releases and impressive retention figures, including big names like Heinrich Klaasen and Virat Kohli among the most expensive retentions.

High-Value Retentions in IPL 2025

With the mega auction just around the corner, franchises have locked in their core players, securing some of the biggest names in cricket. This year, Sunrisers Hyderabad’s Heinrich Klaasen leads as the most expensive retention, while other star players like Nicholas Pooran and Virat Kohli follow closely. Here’s a look at the top retentions and the amount franchises have invested to keep these players for IPL 2025.

Heinrich Klaasen (Sunrisers Hyderabad) – ₹23 Crore

Heinrich Klaasen, the South African wicketkeeper-batter, emerged as the most expensive retention of IPL 2025, valued at ₹23 crore by Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). Known for his explosive batting, Klaasen has proven his worth, scoring 993 runs in 35 IPL matches at an impressive strike rate of 168.31. With 64 sixes, 56 fours, and an average of 38.19, Klaasen has secured his spot as SRH’s top player.

Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bengaluru) – ₹21 Crore

Virat Kohli, the legendary Indian batsman, continues to be a vital part of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). Retained for ₹21 crore, Kohli holds the record as IPL’s leading run-scorer, with over 8,000 runs across 252 matches. Known for his consistency, Kohli brings experience and unmatched dedication to RCB.

Nicholas Pooran (Lucknow Super Giants) – ₹21 Crore

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) retained Nicholas Pooran for ₹21 crore, placing their trust in the left-handed batsman’s skills. Pooran’s remarkable T20 record includes over 2,400 runs scored in 2024 alone. With a strike rate of 162.29 and nine half-centuries, he is set to be a powerhouse for LSG in the upcoming season.

Other High-Priced Retentions

Several other players have been retained with impressive investments from their respective franchises. Here’s a list of players retained for over ₹16 crore, underscoring their importance in each team’s lineup:

• Ruturaj Gaikwad (CSK) – ₹18 crore
• Ravindra Jadeja (CSK) – ₹18 crore
• Jasprit Bumrah (MI) – ₹18 crore
• Sanju Samson (RR) – ₹18 crore
• Yashasvi Jaiswal (RR) – ₹18 crore
• Pat Cummins (SRH) – ₹18 crore
• Rashid Khan (GT) – ₹18 crore

Complete Franchise Retentions and Remaining Budgets

Each franchise has made calculated decisions on player retentions, balancing their budgets to ensure a strong squad for IPL 2025. Here’s a breakdown of each team’s retained players and their remaining purse for the upcoming auction:

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)

• Retained Players: Sunil Narine (₹12 crore), Rinku Singh (₹13 crore), Andre Russell (₹12 crore), Varun Chakaravarthy (₹12 crore), Harshit Rana (₹4 crore), Ramandeep Singh (₹4 crore)
• Remaining Budget: ₹51 crore

Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH)

• Retained Players: Heinrich Klaasen (₹23 crore), Pat Cummins (₹18 crore), Travis Head (₹14 crore), Abhishek Sharma (₹14 crore), Nitish Kumar Reddy (₹6 crore)
• Remaining Budget: ₹45 crore

Rajasthan Royals (RR)

• Retained Players: Sanju Samson (₹18 crore), Riyan Parag (₹14 crore), Yashasvi Jaiswal (₹18 crore), Sandeep Sharma (₹4 crore), Dhruv Jurel (₹14 crore), Shimron Hetmyer (₹11 crore)
• Remaining Budget: ₹41 crore

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB)

• Retained Players: Virat Kohli (₹21 crore), Rajat Patidar (₹11 crore), Yash Dayal (₹5 crore)
• Remaining Budget: ₹83 crore

Chennai Super Kings (CSK)

• Retained Players: Ruturaj Gaikwad (₹18 crore), MS Dhoni (₹4 crore), Ravindra Jadeja (₹18 crore), Shivam Dube (₹12 crore), Matheesha Pathirana (₹13 crore)
• Remaining Budget: ₹55 crore

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG)

• Retained Players: Nicholas Pooran (₹21 crore), Mayank Yadav (₹11 crore), Ravi Bishnoi (₹4 crore), Mohsin Khan (₹4 crore), Ayush Badoni (₹4 crore)
• Remaining Budget: ₹69 crore

Gujarat Titans (GT)

• Retained Players: Rashid Khan (₹18 crore), Shubman Gill (₹16.5 crore), Sai Sudharsan (₹8.5 crore), Rahul Tewatia (₹4 crore), Shahrukh Khan (₹4 crore)
• Remaining Budget: ₹69 crore

Delhi Capitals (DC)

• Retained Players: Axar Patel (₹16.5 crore), Abhishek Porel (₹4 crore), Tristan Stubbs (₹10 crore), Kuldeep Yadav (₹13.5 crore)
• Remaining Budget: ₹73 crore

Punjab Kings (PBKS)

• Retained Players: Shashank Singh (₹5.5 crore), Prabhsimran Singh (₹4 crore)
• Remaining Budget: ₹110.5 crore

Mumbai Indians (MI)

• Retained Players: Rohit Sharma (₹16.3 crore), Jasprit Bumrah (₹18 crore), Suryakumar Yadav (₹16.35 crore), Tilak Varma (₹8 crore), Hardik Pandya (₹16.35 crore)
• Remaining Budget: ₹45 crore

FAQs

Q1: Who is the most expensive retained player in IPL 2025?
Heinrich Klaasen, retained by Sunrisers Hyderabad for ₹23 crore, is the most expensive player retained for IPL 2025.

Q2: How much was Virat Kohli retained for by RCB?
Virat Kohli was retained by Royal Challengers Bengaluru for ₹21 crore, making him the most expensive Indian player retained for IPL 2025.

Q3: Which team has the largest auction purse for IPL 2025?
Punjab Kings (PBKS) have the largest remaining auction budget of ₹110.5 crore.

Q4: How many players did each franchise retain for IPL 2025?
Franchises retained between 2 to 6 players each, with Sunrisers Hyderabad, Rajasthan Royals, and Mumbai Indians retaining the highest-value players.