IPL 2025 KKR and SRH demand higher retention
Kolkata Knight Riders co-owner Shah Rukh Khan argued against holding a mega auction ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 during the IPL owners’ meeting at the BCCI headquarters.Kolkata Knight Riders co-owner Shah Rukh Khan argued against holding a mega auction ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 during the IPL owners’ meeting at the BCCI headquarters in Mumbai on Wednesday.
In the IPL owners meeting, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) strongly advocated for increased player retention ahead of the 2025 mega auction. Both franchises highlighted the significance of maintaining their core players to ensure team stability and continuity.
KKR and SRH believe that higher retention limits would allow them to preserve key talent and build a more cohesive unit, enhancing their competitive edge in future seasons. This proposal aims to balance the excitement of the auction with the strategic importance of team consistency and long-term planning for better performance.
The report claims that the Bollywood superstar wanted the BCCI to hold a mini auction and had a heated argument with Punjab Kings co-owner Ness Wadia over it. However, Shah Rukh has received support from Sunrisers Hyderabad owner Kavya Maran. In a statement released to Cricbuzz after the meeting, Maran spoke against holding an IPL mega auction.
KKR, SRH seek to retain more number of players
Several team owners, including Kolkata Knight Riders’ Shah Rukh Khan and Sunrisers Hyderabad’s Kavya Maran, were in favour of retaining a higher number of players. Punjab Kings, on the other hand, were in favour of retaining a lesser number of players.
KKR supremo Shah Rukh Khan strongly argued against the mega auction during the meeting. At one point, he reportedly had a heated argument with Punjab Kings co-owner Ness Wadia over the retention numbers. While Shah Rukh supported retaining a large number of players, Wadia was against retaining too many players.
It takes a lot of time to build a team
SRH’s Kavya Maran supported KKR’s stance. She highlighted that it takes time and investment to build a team, especially for the young players to mature. “It takes a lot of time to build a team and as discussed, it also takes a lot of time and investment for the young players to mature. It took Abhishek Sharma three years to bring consistency in his performance. You will agree that there are many such examples in other teams as well.
BCCI said response on commercial aspects
The BCCI said that franchise owners have given feedback on commercial aspects such as regulation of players and central sales and licensing. These recommendations will be reviewed by the IPL Governing Council and the decision is likely to be informed by the end of this month.
Delhi Capitals’ Parth Jindal expressed surprise at the debate about continuing with the big auction and confirmed that he is in favour of it. Others present included Delhi Capitals’ Kiran Kumar Grandhi and Parth Jindal, Lucknow Super Giants’ Sanjiv Goenka, Chennai Super Kings’ Rupa Gurunath, Rajasthan Royals’ Manoj Badale and Royal Challengers Bangalore’s Prathamesh Mishra. Some owners joined via video conference, including Mumbai Indians’ Ambani.
KKR, SRH want mega-auctions to end
While Shah Rukh Khan reportedly had a heated argument with PBKS co-owner Ness Wadia over the number of players to be retained, a report claims that Kavya Maran also expressed similar opinions.
According to Cricbuzz, the SRH owner explained that it took time, dedication and resources to build the team and believes that there should be a mini auction every year instead of a mega auction. He cited the discovery of talent in Abhishek Sharma to make his case.
DC against retaining too many player
Delhi Capitals found themselves at the other end of the table, with CEO Parth Jindal insisting that too many players should not be allowed to be retained. While he admitted that having a mega auction would ensure a level playing field for all teams, he added that there were a few owners who did not want an auction.
“I was surprised that there was a debate on whether there should be a mega auction or not,” he said. “Some people said there should not be a mega auction at all. There should only be small auctions. I am not in that camp. I think it levels the playing field and it is very good for everyone,” said Parth Jindal.
Other owners who attended the meeting
The other owners who attended the meeting were Delhi Capitals’ Kiran Kumar Grandhi, Lucknow Super Giants’ Sanjiv Goenka, Chennai Super Kings’ Rupa Gurunath, Rajasthan Royals’ Manoj Badale and Royal Challengers Bangalore’s Prathamesh Mishra. Some owners joined the meeting via video conference, including Mumbai Indians’ Ambani.
Conclusion
The BCCI later released a statement, saying, “Franchise owners provided feedback on player regulations and other commercial aspects including central merchandising, licensing and gaming.” “The BCCI will now take these recommendations to the IPL Governing Council for further deliberations and evaluation before framing the IPL player regulations.
