The Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises retention list will be issued on Thursday and will be the starting point of the hype, spice and buzz that the cash-rich league brings every year.
With a lot of big names set to be retained and several youngsters to backed, there could be some names that could bid adieu to their respective franchises.
Here is a look at likely retentions for some teams.
Chennai Super Kings (CSK)
Mahendra Singh Dhoni is one of the five players set to be retained by the five-time champions alongside skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad, all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja and Shivam Dube and Sri Lankan pacer Matheesha Pathirana. The amount paid for each player is not confirmed but the team is expected to lose Rs 65 crores from their overall purse of Rs 120 crores.
Gujarat Titans (GT)
The 2022 champions are likely to retain Shubman Gill, Rashid Khan, B Sai Sudharsan, Rahul Tewatia and Shahrukh Khan, leaving them with only one right-to-match (RTM) option for the mega auction, as per ESPNCricinfo.
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)
The defending champions are set to retain all-rounder Sunil Narine, Rinku Singh, pacer Harshit Rana and spinner Varun Chakravarthy. However, in a huge surprise, their title-winning skipper Shreyas Iyer and veteran all-rounder Andre Russell are unlikely to be retained.
Lucknow Super Giants (LSG)
The top retention for the franchise would be Nicholas Pooran, alongside pace sensation Mayank Yadav and spinner Ravi Bishnoi. In the uncapped category, pacer Mohsin Khan and batter Ayush Badoni are also set to be retained. KL Rahul, who has led the franchise since its inception in 2022, is unlikely to be retained.
Rajasthan Royals (RR)
Skipper Sanju Samson, opener Yashasvi Jaiswal, batter Riyan Parag, who had a breakout season at number four this year and pacer Sandeep Sharma are four players set to be retained by the franchise. However, as per ESPNCricinfo, star England opener Jos Buttler and India's leading wicket-taker in the T20s, Yuzvendra Chahal, are not the part of the retention list.
Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH)
South African hitter Heinrich Klaasen, who has made a name for himself in various T20 leagues worlwide, is set to be the top retention pick for SRH with Rs 23 crores.
Other retentions include Australia's World Cup winning skipper Pat Cummins, who was the SRH captain last year, would get Rs 18 crores and Indian all-rounder Abhishek Sharma could get Rs 14 crores. Australian opener Travis Head and Nitish Kumar Reddy as set to be final two capped retained stars ahead of the auction.
