IPL 2025 'surprise' retentions: RR overpay for Dhruv Jurel & Nitish Reddy at just Rs 6 crore?

Big names, huge money, startling releases—IPL 2025 retentions were power packed for fans, who just love to enjoy the thrill of this high-octane league. While most of the IPL 2025 retentions were leaked a day prior, we finally got the official confirmation. The retentions of Jasprit Bumrah, Shubman Gill, MS Dhoni, and Heinrich Klaasen were on expected lines; fans got to know that the likes of Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul, and Shreyas Iyer have been released. Apart from the astonishing releases, there were a couple of questionable retentions as well.

Cricket

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IPL Retention: Call it “surprising or stupid”, but PBKS will rue not retaining Arshdeep Singh

Take the Punjab Kings (PBKS), for example. The franchise retained just two uncapped players, Shashank Singh and Prabhsimran Singh. While they still have four RTM cards with them, PBKS let go of two incredible bowlers in Arshdeep Singh and Kagiso Rabada. It would be interesting to see how many “superstars” they get with the Rs 110.50 crore kitty that they have.

IPL 2025 ‘surprise’ retentions: Is Dhruv Jurel worth Rs 14 crore?

As recently as yesterday, the Rajasthan Royals (RR) hadn’t decided on Dhruv Jurel. While the likes of Sanju Samson, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Riyan Parag were finalised, Jurel still had that question mark over him. However, now, RR have retained the talented keeper for a whopping Rs 14 crore.

This might be a bit overpay, considering RR already have a keeper in Samson. Regardless, much like Jaiswal and Parag, Jurel is RR’s find and they really want to stick with him. Rajasthan have always covered their top-order well and it has been there lower-order, who have left desiring many a times. But, their trust in both Jurel and Shimron Hetmyer shows that they want to look after their finishers.

For RR, Jurel has hit 347 runs at a superb SR of 151.52, which is superb for an Indian talent. Regardless, in an era where the likes of Hardik, Rohit and Suryakumar have gone for just above Rs 16 crore, Jurel at Rs 14 is undoubtedly an overpay.

IPL 2025 ‘surprise’ retentions: Nitish Reddy takes a pay cut for SRH

SunRisers Hyderabad’s (SRH) retention list for the upcoming IPL 2025 season has left many cricket enthusiasts scratching their heads. While the franchise has made some bold moves, one decision in particular has sparked a debate: the retention of Nitish Kumar Reddy at a mere INR 6 crore. Reddy, a young and immensely talented cricketer, has shown immense promise in recent times. He burst onto the scene with a stellar performance in the previous IPL season, even earning the Emerging Player Award. Moreover, his fiery fifty in a T20I against Bangladesh unearthed a gem for India.

Given his potential and recent performances, it’s surprising to see him retained at such a low price. His retention at INR 6 crore is a parallel contrast to the hefty sum of Rs 23 crore shelled out for other players, particularly Heinrich Klaasen. While Klaasen’s impact on the team cannot be denied, Reddy’s talent and future prospects suggest that he could command a much higher price as well. Regardless, it was upto the franchises to divide the Rs 75 crore in any form (if they are retaining 5 players).

Cricket Indian Premier League (IPL)Rajasthan Royals Sunrisers Hyderabad Dhruv Jurel Nitish Kumar Reddy