Rajasthan Royals IPL 2025 Retention: RR prioritise young Indian talent, would fish for bowlers in auction

Rajasthan Royals, the inaugural IPL champions of 2008, have consistently demonstrated their mettle in recent years, reaching both playoffs and finals. Aiming to reclaim their former glory in IPL 2025, the franchise has retained Sanju Samson, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Riyan Parag. The unexpected retention of Dhruv Jurel for Rs 14 crore has raised eyebrows, while the omissions of Jos Buttler and Yuzvendra Chahal have sparked intrigue. The other two retentions are Shimron Hetmyer and Sandeep Sharma.

With legendary cricketer Rahul Dravid returning as the head coach, Rajasthan aim to build a title-winning squad. However, with only Rs 41 crore remaining in their auction purse and no Right to Match (RTM) cards, the Royals face a challenging task in building a well-rounded team.

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Who are RR’s retained players?

1. Sanju Samson – Rs 18 crore – Capped
2. Yashasvi Jaiswal – Rs 18 crore – Capped
3. Riyan Parag – Rs 14 crore – Capped
4. Dhruv Jurel – Rs 14 crore – Capped
5. Shimron Hetmyer (Overseas) – Rs 11 crore – Capped
6. Sandeep Sharma – Rs 4 crore – Uncapped

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Rationale behind RR’s retentions

Most of the retained players were instrumental in the Royals’ playoff run in IPL 2024. Captain Sanju Samson and reliable middle-order batter Riyan Parag had standout seasons, scoring 531 and 573 runs, respectively. Parag’s impressive form earned him a T20I debut for India, while Shimron Hetmyer provided valuable power-hitting in the middle overs.

On the bowling front, Sandeep Sharma, who was bought for Rs 50 lakh in 2023, took 13 wickets with an economy rate of 8.18, excelling in both the powerplay and death overs. Yashasvi Jaiswal’s 2024 season, while falling short of his impressive 2023 tally of 625 runs, was still respectable, totaling 435 runs at a strike rate of 152. His potential as a leading young batting talent remains crucial for the franchise’s future.

One notable decision is the surprise retention of Indian wicketkeeper-batter Dhurv Jurel, who had a lackluster season with the bat in 2024, for a hefty Rs14 crore. It only suggests the franchise is banking on his future potential.

Surprise omissions: Jos Buttler and Yuzvendra Chahal

The decision to release Jos Buttler and Yuzvendra Chahal, instrumental to the Royals’ 2022 finals run with Orange and Purple Caps respectively, comes after both had a challenging IPL 2024. Buttler, a batting mainstay, managed 359 runs at a strike rate of 141 but has struggled with injuries since England’s T20 World Cup semi-final loss to India. Chahal, on the other hand, remained helpful with 18 wickets at a 9.41 economy rate, often serving as an Impact Player when the Royals batted first.

Possible auction strategy for RR

The Rajasthan Royals’ IPL 2025 auction strategy would be focussed on building a quality bowling unit that supports the retained group of players, who are mostly batters. Known for backing emerging talents, the Royals may target versatile all-rounders like Rachin Ravindra and Moeen Ali to enhance flexibility. With just Rs 41 crore in their budget, securing top-order stability with experienced batters like Jos Buttler or Devon Conway will be essential. It has to be noted that RR don’t have any RTM left .

To strengthen their bowling attack, they might consider reuniting with Yuzvendra Chahal or Trent Boult, aiming to build a well-rounded squad for a successful IPL 2025 campaign.

Players RR could target in the mega auction

All-rounders: Rachin Ravindra, Mooen Ali

Wicketkeeper: Jitesh Sharma, Wriddhiman Saha

Batters: Jos Buttler, Devon Conway, Ajinkya Rahane

Bowlers: R Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, Trent Boult, Maheesh Theekshana, Tushar Deshpande, Avesh Khan, Piyush Chawla, Harshal Patel, Mohammed Siraj, T Natarajan, Mohammed Shami (Subject to fitness), Khaleel Ahmed, Mukesh Kumar