IPL 2025 retention: Every year IPL franchises have to retain six players, which is definitely a tough process as they have to decide very keenly about whom to retain and whom not. These kinds of decisions are especially hard for teams like Rajasthan Royals, who have been seeing a trophy drought for the last fifteen years. The team seems to be lacking some parts, which always leads them to making silly mistakes at the end of the season. In this article, we will have a look at three players who should be the first priority on RR's retention policy.
Riyan Parag
The 22-year-old Riyan Parag has been part of the Rajasthan Royals' franchise for the last five years. He finally got a breakthrough in 2024, as he scored 573 runs in 16 matches and ended up in the third place in the list of most run scorers. In the previous seasons of IPL, Parag might have derived up to ₹5 crore in the auctions, but now that he has made his debut for India, his prices might go up to ₹15 crore. However, this is not the only reason for RR to retain him. After years of grooming, Parag is finally showcasing his intent and skills. Moreover, there have been many signs that the Rajasthan Royals franchise sees him more than just a player. They have allocated several IPL games to his hometown, Guwahati, and Parag is also sent to press conferences. The youngster is being pushed as the face of their franchise. So, with him also being the future of the Indian cricket team, it will be a blow to RR if they don't retain him.
Sanju Samson
Sanju Samson has been a part of Rajasthan Royals since 2013 and eventually became the skipper of the team ahead of 2021. It takes a lot of time to polish captaining skills and it is also not easy to acquire a ready-made captain in the auctions, so retaining Samson is very crucial for RR. Under Sanju's captaincy, Rajasthan Royals have performed brilliantly but fell out just before the second half of the season. Releasing him would not be a wise decision, as RR will have to go through another two-three-year cycle because of which they will get many steps behind other teams. The team can also not expect to release him and then RTM him because many other teams like Punjab Kings and Lucknow Super Giants might not retain their captain and search for someone else in the auction. In the 2024 IPL season, Samson also displayed great performance by scoring 513 runs at an average of 48.27 and a strike rate of 153.46.
Yashasvi Jaiswal
Another 22-year-old batting sensation, Yashasvi Jaiswal, is another important player that Rajasthan Royals must retain. Unlike Riyan Parag, who is still trying to find his feet in international cricket, Jaiswal has already solidified his place in the Indian cricket team as Test opener. He has been consistent with his performances and might soon solidify his position in T20s and ODIs too. In IPL also, we have seen Yashasvi play some incredible knocks, so retaining him is a must for RR. Every other franchise will try to keep their hands on this explosive youngster, so Rajasthan can't take the risk of putting him in the auction for bids.