Mumbai Indians are expected to retain Rohit Sharma for the upcoming IPL season, alongside star players Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, and Suryakumar Yadav. Despite being replaced by Hardik as captain last season, Rohit remains a key figure in the squad. Mumbai’s poor performance last year, finishing last with just four wins, has sparked interest in how they will reshape their team ahead of the mega auction.
All IPL franchises must submit their retention list by October 31, with each team allowed to retain up to six players, including a maximum of two uncapped players. Retentions come at a cost: Rs 18 crore for the first player, Rs 14 crore for the second, and so on, docking Mumbai Rs 61 crore from their Rs 120 crore purse if they retain these four. Mumbai is also keen to bring back Ishan Kishan through the auction and use the Right to Match (RTM) for Tim David.
Meanwhile, Rajasthan Royals plan to retain Sanju Samson, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Riyan Parag, with ongoing discussions about England’s Jos Buttler. Delhi Capitals are expected to retain Rishabh Pant, Axar Patel, and Kuldeep Yadav, while parting ways with coach Ricky Ponting, who has joined Punjab Kings.
Lucknow SuperGiants (LSG) are likely to keep uncapped players Ayush Badoni and Mohsin Khan, along with Nicholas Pooran. However, the franchise is yet to make a decision on captain KL Rahul, despite team owner Sanjiv Goenka's previous praise for him.