After the thrilling and unforgettable mega auction, all ten teams are set for IPL 2025. It is now time for team analysis and to choose the best and worst teams before the beginning of the IPL 2025. While some franchises have impressed on the mega auction table, some franchises have disappointed despite buying talented players. Let's look at the Cricketwinner ratings of all the 10 squads

1. Gujarat Titans

After some good retentions (Shubman Gill, Sai Sudharsan, Rahul Tiwari, Shahrukh Khan, Rashid Khan), IPL 2022 champions Gujarat Titans battled hard to secure Jos Buttler, Mohammed Siraj, Kagiso Rabada, and Prasidh Krishna. The retained and top-signed players love to dominate in their respective duties. Moreover, GT added more good all-rounders like Glenn Phillips, Sherfane Rutherford, Karim Janat, Washington Sundar, etc. Overall, the franchise has built up a well-balanced team for the IPL 2025, as there is hardly any gap. 

GT full squad for IPL 2025: Shubman Gill, Sai Sudharsan, Shahrukh Khan, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Jos Buttler, Mohammed Siraj, Kagiso Rabada, Prasidh Krishna, Washington Sundar, Sherfane Rutherford, Gerald Coetzee, Glenn Phillips, Sai Kishore, Mahipal Lomror, Karim Janat, Gurnoor Brar, Arshad Khan, Jayant Yadav, Ishant Sharma, Kumar Kushagra, Nishant Sindhu, Manav Suthar, Anuj Rawat, Kulwant Khejroliya.

Team rating: 8.5/10

See Also: IPL 2025: Top 5 Shocking Unsold Star Players in the IPL history

2. SunRisers Hyderabad

IPL 2016 champions and IPL 2024 runners-up SunRisers Hyderabad set a new example of dominant batting in the last IPL season. We can expect the same in the IPL 2025 as most of the key batters are retained in the squad along with the skipper and pacer Pat Cummins. Apart from some strong all-rounder names, SRH also have strong pacers and spinners. It seems that the franchise has built up another well-balanced T20 side. 

SRH full squad for IPL 2025:  Heinrich Klaasen, Pat Cummins, Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ishan Kishan, Jaydev Unadkat, Mohammed Shami, Harshal Patel, Rahul Chahar, Abhinav Manohar, Adam Zampa, Simarjeet Singh, Eshan Malinga, Brydon Carse, Sachin Baby, Kamindu Mendis, Zeeshan Ansari, Aniket Verma, Atharva Taide.

Team rating: 8/10

3. Kolkata Knight Riders

Due to the strong retention and the addition of more regular faces from the auction, the three-time and reigning IPL champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) can maintain their champion charms in IPL 2025. The overseas dominant all-rounders are match-winners (Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, Moeen Ali, Rovman Powell) along with Ramandeep Singh and Venkatesh Iyer. 

Quinton de Kock, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Rinku Singh, Manish Pandey, Ajinkya Rahane, and Angkrish Raghuvanshi are strong names in batting. With Sunil Narine and Moeen Ali, Indian cricketers Varun Chakravarthy and Mayank Markande provide strong spin bowling options. South African fast bowler Anrich Nortje and rising Indian pacer Harshit Rana are two big names in the pace-bowling line-up. 

KKR full squad for IPL 2025:  Rinku Singh, Varun Chakravarthy, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Harshit Rana, Ramandeep Singh, Venkatesh Iyer, Anrich Nortje, Quinton de Kock, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Spencer Johnson, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Moeen Ali, Vaibhav Arora, Rovman Powell, Ajinkya Rahane, Umran Malik, Manish Pandey, Anukul Roy, Luvnith Sisodia, Mayank Markande.

Team rating: 7.5/10

4. Chennai Super Kings

The present Chennai Super Kings squad has many known faces for the Yellow Army fans. Not only their retained players, but also the RTM Rachin Ravindra, Devon Conway, Sam Curran, and Ravichandran Ashwin also have great memories with the team. If the experienced team management can work well with the Indian pace-bowling line-up, the five-time IPL champions can create a new IPL history.

CSK full squad for IPL 2025: Ravindra Jadeja, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Matheesha Pathirana, Shivam Dube, MS Dhoni, Noor Ahmad, R Ashwin, Devon Conway, Khaleel Ahmed, Rachin Ravindra, Rahul Tripathi, Anshul Kamboj, Sam Curran, Gurjapneet Singh, Nathan Ellis, Deepak Hooda, Jamie Overton, Vijay Shankar, Vansh Bedi, Shreyas Gopal, C Andre Siddarth, Ramakrishna Ghosh, Shaik Rasheed, Mukesh Choudhary, Kamlesh Nagarkoti.

Team rating: 7/10

See Also: IPL 2025: Top 5 Steal Deals from the 2025 IPL Mega Auction

5. Royal Challengers Bengaluru

Three-time IPL runners-up Royal Challengers Bengaluru have strong batting lineups on top and in the middle. Virat Kohli, Phil Salt, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar, Liam Livingstone, Tim David, Krunal Pandya, etc. are big names in the RCB batting line-up. The pace-bowling lineup is equally strong with the Indians and overseas names. All-rounders can fill up the spin-bowling gap.   

RCB full squad for IPL 2025: Virat Kohli, Rajit Patidar, Yash Dayal, Josh Hazlewood, Phil Salt, Jitesh Sharma, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Tim David, Liam Livingstone, Rasikh Salam, Krunal Pandya, Suyash Sharma, Jacob Bethell, Devdutt Padikkal, Nuwan Thushara, Lungi Ngidi, Romario Shepherd, Swapnil Singh, Swastik Chikara, Manoj Bhandage, Abhinandan Singh, Lungi Ngidi, Mohit Rathee

Team rating: 6.5/10

6. Delhi Capitals

Although Delhi Capitals had to release Rishabh Pant, they still have built up a good team for IPL 2025. While the team has strong foreign names in the batting (Jake Fraser-McGruk, Harry Brook, Faf du Plessis, Tristian Stubbs), the Indian batting names are limited to KL Rahul and Abhishek Porel. The team has young talented all-rounders, where Axar Patel has to play an important role. The pace-bowling has strong names, both from India (Mukesh Kumar, T Natarajan, Mohit Sharma) and overseas (Mitchell Starc and Dushmantha Chameera). Meanwhile, the experienced spinners are Kuldeep Yadav and all-rounder Axar Patel. 

DC full squad for IPL 2025: Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Tristan Stubbs, Abishek Porel, KL Rahul, Mitchell Starc, T Natarajan, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Mukesh Kumar, Harry Brook, Ashutosh Sharma, Mohit Sharma, Faf du Plessis, Sameer Rizvi, Dushmantha Chameera, Donavan Ferreira, Vipraj Nigam, Manvanth Kumar, Darshan Nalkande, Ajay Mandal, Tripurana Vijay, Madhav Tiwari.

Team rating: 6.5/10

7. Mumbai Indians

The five-time IPL champions Mumbai Indians are desperate to break their recent inconsistent status. While they retained important names, batting looks strong with the question of its depth and strong replacements. Pace bowlers are very strong with the leading charges of Jasprit Bumrah and Trent Boult. All-rounder Mitchell Santner is the only powerful experienced spinner in the team. 

MI full squad for IPL 2025: Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav, Rohit Sharma, Tilak Varma, Trent Boult, Deepak Chahar, Naman Dhir, Will Jacks, Allah Ghazanfar, Mitchell Santner, Ryan Rickelton, Reece Topley, Robin Minz, Karn Sharma, Bevon Jacobs, Ashwani Kumar, Krishnan Shrijith, Arjun Tendulkar, Lizaad Williams, Vignesh Puthur.

Team rating: 6/10

8. Punjab Kings

The IPL 2014 runners-up Punjab Kings are desperate to remove their underperformer tag from the IPL 2025, as the team has failed to reach the playoffs the last ten seasons. They have big overseas names Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Aaron Hardie, Azmatullah Omarzai, Marco Jansen, and Lockie Ferguson, along with the Indian stars Shreyas Iyer, Arshdeep Singh, and Yuzvendra Chahal. While there is a lack of Indian alternatives, the PBKS’ success in the IPL 2025 depends on the performances of the Indian cricketers. 

PBKS full squad for IPL 2025: Shashank Singh, Prabhsimran Singh, Arshdeep Singh, Shreyas Iyer, Yuzvendra Chahal, Marcus Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell, Nehal Wadhera, Harpreet Brar, Vishnu Vinod, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Yash Thakur, Marco Jansen, Josh Inglis, Lockie Ferguson, Azmatullah Omarzai, Harnoor Pannu, Kuldeep Sen, Priyansh Arya, Aaron Hardie, Musheer Khan, Suryansh Shedge, Xavier Bartlett, Pyla Avinash, Pravin Dubey.

Team rating: 5.5/10

9. Lucknow Super Giants

Lucknow Super Giants have strong overseas batting options along with Rishabh Pant, whose INR 27 crore bid broke the IPL auction record. Apart from Pant, the franchise’s Indian batting option isn’t strong enough. The team has been filled with young talented Indian pacers and spinners, who need proper guidance in tough times. By looking at the team initially, the franchise hasn’t set up a balanced team for the IPL 2025.   

LSG full squad for IPL 2025: Nicholas Pooran, Mayank Yadav, Ravi Bishnoi, Ayush Badoni, Mohsin Khan, Rishabh Pant, Avesh Khan, David Miller, Shahbaz Ahmed, Abdul Samad, Akash Deep, Mitchell Marsh, Aiden Markram, Matthew Breetzke, Shamar Joseph, M Siddharth, Himmat Singh, Arshin Kulkarni, Digvesh Singh, Prince Yadav, Yuvraj Chaudhary, Akash Singh, Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Aryan Juyal.

Team rating: 4.5/10

10. Rajasthan Royals

While the inaugural IPL champions Rajasthan Royals have retained strong names, the exclusion of English white-ball captain Jos Buttler was the big blow for Royals. The franchise still has enough explosive Indian batters, and their pace and spin bowling options are fully talented and consistent. While they haven’t any experienced Indian spinners, their Indian pace bowling experience is limited.

RR full squad for IPL 2025: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sanju Samson, Dhruv Jurel, Riyan Parag, Shimron Hetmyer, Sandeep Sharma, Jofra Archer, Wanindu Hasaranga, Tushar Deshpande, Maheesh Theekshana, Nitish Rana, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Kwena Maphaka, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Akash Madhwal, Shubham Dubey, Yudhvir Singh, Kumar Kartikeya, Kunal Rathore, Ashok Sharma.

Team rating: 3.5/10

The inaugural IPL champions Rajasthan Royals (RR) had some great moments in the last three IPL seasons. After failing to advance to the playoffs in three straight seasons, the Royals finished as the runners-up in the IPL 2022, where they lost against the season debutant Gujarat Titans. In two out of the last three IPL seasons, the Royals qualified for the playoffs.  

Rajasthan Royals retained six players, five capped and one uncapped, and deducted INR 79 crore from the purse. It meant that they could use the remaining INR 41 crore in the mega auction. 

See Also: Dravid reflects on his return to IPL Auction after 8 years

Rajasthan Royals: Key additions from the mega auction

Rajasthan Royals brought back the English fast bowler Jofra Archer, which cost them INR 12.50 crore. They have signed players like Tushar Deshpande, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Nitish Rana, Fazalhaq Farooqi, etc. 

RR Full Squad

Batters: Yashasvi Jaiswal (retained), Shimron Hetmyer (retained/Guyanese), Nitish Rana, Shubham Dubey, Vaibhav Suryavanshi

Wicketkeepers: Sanju Samson (retained), Dhruv Jurel (retained), Kunal Singh Rathore

All-rounders: Riyan Parag (retained), Wanindu Hasaranga (Sri Lankan), Yudhvir Singh 

Spinners: Maheesh Theeksana (Sri Lankan), Kumar Kartikeya

Pacers: Sandeep Sharma (retained), Jofra Archer (English), Fazalhaq Farooqi (Afghan), Kwena Maphaka (South African), Akash Madhwal, Tushar Deshpande, Ashok Sharma

Brief SWOT analysis

Rajasthan Royals have retained strong batters, but excluding the English white-ball captain Jos Buttler. Buttler was an inspiring point for the team's batting line-up, and it is still not understandable why the team released Buttler despite his presence for the IPL 2025. However, Jaiswal, Hetmyer, Samson, Jurel, Riyan, etc. are some strong names in the present batting lineup. 

Royals’ pace and spin bowling options are really strong with some good alternative names. Overall, Rajasthan Royals can be a strong team for the IPL 2025. 

RR Best possible XI for IPL 2025

Sanju Samson, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel, Riyan Parag, Shubham Dubey, Shimron Hetmyer, Nitish Rana, Jofra Archer, Wanindu Hasaranga, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Tushar Deshpande

The 2025 IPL Mega Auction in Jeddah featured a mix of shocks, significant expenditure, and intriguing roster reshuffles. With INR 639.15 crore invested in 182 players, all ten teams took decisive steps to upgrade their squads. From record-breaking acquisitions to savvy deals, here's a team-by-team breakdown of all ten team's auction results.

The recent IPL Mega Auction altered team dynamics, injecting each club with new talent and strategy. Assessing the power of these reconfigured teams requires a careful assessment of their acquisitions, retained players, and potential synergy. That being said, here is a ranking list of all ten franchises' based on their retentions, acquisitions, and overall team structure following the 2025 IPL Mega Auction. 

1. Gujarat Titans

The Gujarat Titans kept their key players and made strategic acquisitions, including Jos Buttler and Mohammed Siraj. Their roster currently appears balanced, with depth in both batting and bowling. GT has a deep batting lineup, but its probable top three - Gill, Buttler, and Sai Sudharsan - are all long-inning batters. Along that, they have support in the form of Glenn Philps, Washington Sundar, and Sherfane Rutherford.

Another strong point for the Titans is their spinners department, which is led by Afghani star Rashid Khan and will feature emerging domestic players. Overall, the 2022 winners have maintained an optimal balance of young Indian and international stars across all departments. 

Gujarat Titans 2025 IPL Squad: Shubman Gill, Sai Sudharsan, Shahrukh Khan, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Jos Buttler, Mohammed Siraj, Kagiso Rabada, Prasidh Krishna, Washington Sundar, Sherfane Rutherford, Gerald Coetzee, Glenn Phillips, Sai Kishore, Mahipal Lomror, Karim Janat, Gurnoor Brar, Arshad Khan, Jayant Yadav, Ishant Sharma, Kumar Kushagra, Nishant Sindhu, Manav Suthar, Anuj Rawat, Kulwant Khejroliya.

2. Mumbai Indians

Mumbai Indians kept their Indian superstars, including Naman Dhir, through the Right to Match (RTM) card. Through the auction, they acquired Deepak Chahar and Karn Sharma, both of whom have league experience. Trent Boult and Mitchell Santner are previous IPL champions, while Jacks is a highly sought-after T20 power batter.

In addition, no one can forget Will Jacks' outstanding performance in the previous edition for RCB, which will help them strengthen their middle-order unit and could be a potential death-over hitter, making them one of the strongest teams in the forthcoming edition. Again, their combination of youth and experience makes them severe candidates for their sixth IPL title. 

Mumbai Indians 2025 IPL Squad: Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav, Rohit Sharma, Tilak Varma, Trent Boult, Deepak Chahar, Naman Dhir, Will Jacks, Allah Ghazanfar, Mitchell Santner, Ryan Rickelton, Reece Topley, Robin Minz, Karn Sharma, Bevon Jacobs, Ashwani Kumar, Krishnan Shrijith, Arjun Tendulkar, Lizaad Williams, Vignesh Puthur.

3. Punjab Kings

Punjab's rebuilt appearance appears menacing, with a new coach (Ricky Ponting) and captain (almost definitely Shreyas). They have five Indian bowlers: Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal, Harpreet Brar, Kuldeep Sen, and Vijaykumar Vyshak, and they also have a handful of all-rounders.

Alternatively, they might choose between Lockie Ferguson and Josh Inglis. Their Indian batters - Shreyas Iyer, Shashank Singh, Prabhsimran Singh, and Nehal Wadhera- add diversity to their intriguing batting attack. With a significant restructuring, it is no surprise for the team to be a dark horse in the forthcoming tournament. 

Punjab Kings 2025 IPL Squad: Shashank Singh, Prabhsimran Singh, Arshdeep Singh, Shreyas Iyer, Yuzvendra Chahal, Marcus Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell, Nehal Wadhera, Harpreet Brar, Vishnu Vinod, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Yash Thakur, Marco Jansen, Josh Inglis, Lockie Ferguson, Azmatullah Omarzai, Harnoor Pannu, Kuldeep Sen, Priyansh Arya, Aaron Hardie, Musheer Khan, Suryansh Shedge, Xavier Bartlett, Pyla Avinash, Pravin Dubey.

4. Chennai Super Kings

As is frequently the case, Chennai Super Kings emerged from the IPL 2025 auction as one of the tournament's strongest teams. A group of spinners, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, and Noor Ahmed, supported by Gopal, represent the probable circumstances in Chepauk. It remains to be seen if they will take advantage of Jamie Overton's power-hitting ability. But not to forget, they have Devon Conway, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Rahul Tripathi and their legendary ubiquitous campaigner, MS Dhoni.

Still, they already have all-rounders in Sam Curran, Vijay Shankar, and Deepak Hooda. Also, they have a strong pace unit in Matheesha Pathirana, Khaleel Ahmed, Mukesh Choudhary, and Anshul Kamboj. 

Chennai Super Kings 2025 IPL Squad: Ravindra Jadeja, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Matheesha Pathirana, Shivam Dube, MS Dhoni, Noor Ahmad, R Ashwin, Devon Conway, Khaleel Ahmed, Rachin Ravindra, Rahul Tripathi, Anshul Kamboj, Sam Curran, Gurjapneet Singh, Nathan Ellis, Deepak Hooda, Jamie Overton, Vijay Shankar, Vansh Bedi, Shreyas Gopal, C Andre Siddarth, Ramakrishna Ghosh, Shaik Rasheed, Mukesh Choudhary, Kamlesh Nagarkoti.

5. Sunrisers Hyderabad

Sunrisers Hyderabad have a powerful top five and a first-choice bowling attack with a lot of pedigree, but the link between the two is likely untested. Their backup overseas players, Kamindu Mendis, Brydon Carse, and Eshan Malinga, have never played in the IPL but have shown potential in recent cricket performances. Though they have ended up as runners-up in the previous edition, the team is determined to scalp their second-ever coveted IPL trophy.

The Cummins-led team has created a new bowling assault that includes the skipper, Mohammed Shami, Harshal Patel, Rahul Chahar, Jaydev Unadkat, and Simarjeet Singh, among others, implying that the other nine franchises will face a dangerous bowling attack.  

Sunrisers Hyderabad 2025 IPL Squad: Heinrich Klaasen, Pat Cummins, Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ishan Kishan, Jaydev Unadkat, Mohammed Shami, Harshal Patel, Rahul Chahar, Abhinav Manohar, Adam Zampa, Simarjeet Singh, Eshan Malinga, Brydon Carse, Sachin Baby, Kamindu Mendis, Zeeshan Ansari, Aniket Verma, Atharva Taide.

See Also: IPL 2025: Top 5 Steal Deals from the 2025 IPL Mega Auction

6. Royal Challengers Bengaluru

Royal Challengers Bengaluru parted ways with their reliable batters Will Jacks, Maxwell, and du Plessis, but they filled the voids with Salt, Livingstone, and David. Hazlewood, Bhuvneshwar, and Yash Dayal are possibly the most lethal new-ball pairing. While Jitesh, Krunal Pandya, Jacob Bethell, and Romario Shepherd constitute an explosive middle-order quartet, each plays a secondary role.

Overall, this appears to be one of the more hazardous sides. Meanwhile, the bowling lineup seems complete, with Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, Yash Dayal, Krunal Pandya, and Rasikh Dar. Overall, while the squad appears poised to compete for the title, RCB might have built a far better foundation, given the available funds.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru 2025 IPL Squad: Virat Kohli, Rajit Patidar, Yash Dayal, Josh Hazlewood, Phil Salt, Jitesh Sharma, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Tim David, Liam Livingstone, Rasikh Salam, Krunal Pandya, Suyash Sharma, Jacob Bethell, Devdutt Padikkal, Nuwan Thushara, Lungi Ngidi, Romario Shepherd, Swapnil Singh, Swastik Chikara, Manoj Bhandage, Abhinandan Singh, Lungi Ngidi, Mohit Rathee

7. Delhi Capitals

The Delhi Capitals have assembled a good team. They utilised the RTM card to repurchase Jake Fraser-McGurk in the auction and paid INR 14 crore for KL Rahul. The pair is expected to start the innings with Harry Brook at number three, Tristan Stubbs at four, and Abishek Porel at five. Mitchell Starc and T Natarajan can wreak havoc, while Kuldeep Yadav can handle spin.

Mukesh Kumar or Mohit Sharma will lead their number XI, resulting in a lethal bowling unit. They do, however, lack some mid-order experience. It's hardly unexpected if Faf du Plessis is picked over Harry Brook, who has a poor IPL record. But, overall, it is a decent arsenal to check for.

Delhi Capitals 2025 IPL Squad: Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Tristan Stubbs, Abishek Porel, KL Rahul, Mitchell Starc, T Natarajan, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Mukesh Kumar, Harry Brook, Ashutosh Sharma, Mohit Sharma, Faf du Plessis, Sameer Rizvi, Dushmantha Chameera, Donavan Ferreira, Vipraj Nigam, Manvanth Kumar, Darshan Nalkande, Ajay Mandal, Tripurana Vijay, Madhav Tiwari.

8. Lucknow Supergiants

Lucknow Super Giants had a stunning auction if only the batting unit is considered. Getting Rishabh Pant, David Miller, Mitchell Marsh and Aiden Markram in a single auction is a terrific business, especially when the franchise already had Nicholas Pooran and Ayush Badoni in the mix.

They retained Ravi Bishnoi, Mayank Yadav and Mohsin Khan, which was a great call and signed Avesh Khan, Akash Deep, M Siddharth, Shahbaz Ahmed and Shamar Joseph, among others. It looks like a good core, but they needed an overseas and experienced fast bowler to complete it and could potentially hinder them.

Lucknow Supergiants 2025 IPL Squad: Nicholas Pooran, Mayank Yadav, Ravi Bishnoi, Ayush Badoni, Mohsin Khan, Rishabh Pant, Avesh Khan, David Miller, Shahbaz Ahmed, Abdul Samad, Akash Deep, Mitchell Marsh, Aiden Markram, Matthew Breetzke, Shamar Joseph, M Siddharth, Himmat Singh, Arshin Kulkarni, Digvesh Singh, Prince Yadav, Yuvraj Chaudhary, Akash Singh, Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Aryan Juyal.

9. Kolkata Knight Riders

The Kolkata Knight Riders have retained Rinku Singh, Sunil Narine, Varun Chakravarthy, Andre Russell, Harshit Rana, and Ramandeep Singh ahead of the IPL 2025 mega-auction. Half of their work was done before the auction since all of these players were proven match-winners who had done an excellent job for the franchise.

KKR busted the bank by buying Venkatesh Iyer for a staggering INR 23.75 crore. He turned out to be the third most expensive player in the mega-auction and the most expensive all-rounder ever being brought in the IPL history. To get him, the team had to let go of several of its top players from the previous season. They have signed veteran players, but their performance in the shorter format may put the franchise in jeopardy. 

Kolkata Knight Riders 2025 IPL Squad: Rinku Singh, Varun Chakravarthy, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Harshit Rana, Ramandeep Singh, Venkatesh Iyer, Anrich Nortje, Quinton de Kock, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Spencer Johnson, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Moeen Ali, Vaibhav Arora, Rovman Powell, Ajinkya Rahane, Umran Malik, Manish Pandey, Anukul Roy, Luvnith Sisodia, Mayank Markande.

10. Rajasthan Royals

Rajasthan Royals retained Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sanju Samson, Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel, Shimron Hetmyer, and Sandeep Sharma ahead of the IPL 2025 mega-auction. Despite losing Jos Buttler, the batting unit appeared rock-solid. Though Shimron Hetmyer is the sole foreign batter, RR's batting is explosive. They needed great T20 all-rounders in the last cycle, which Hasaranga will have to replace.

With Nitish Rana and Riyan Parag doing their work with the bat, they will most likely bowl more than they have before. The absence of a veteran Indian bowler may be a problem. The team appears bleak and mediocre, with no appropriate backup for key players. They overspent on retentions and missed the trick at the auction table. 

Rajasthan Royals 2025 IPL Squad: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sanju Samson, Dhruv Jurel, Riyan Parag, Shimron Hetmyer, Sandeep Sharma, Jofra Archer, Wanindu Hasaranga, Tushar Deshpande, Maheesh Theekshana, Nitish Rana, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Kwena Maphaka, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Akash Madhwal, Shubham Dubey, Yudhvir Singh, Kumar Kartikeya, Kunal Rathore, Ashok Sharma.

Inaugural IPL champions Rajasthan Royals (RR), who also finished as the runners-up in the IPL 2022, were eliminated from the Qualifier 2 at the IPL 2024. 

RR started the IPL 2025 mega auction with a remaining purse of 41 crore, after retaining six players, five capped and one uncapped, for INR 79 crore.

Rajasthan Royals spent INR 12.50 crore for the Barbados-born English star pacer Jofra Archer. They also bought the players, like Tushar Deshpande, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Nitish Rana, Fazalhaq Farooqi, etc. 

SEE ALSO: Dravid reflects on his return to IPL Auction after 8 years

Pre Auction Retentions

(Capped)

Sanju Samson (Indian): INR 18 Crore

Yashasvi Jaiswal (Indian): INR 18 Crore

Riyan Parag (Indian): INR 14 Crore

Dhruv Jurel (Indian): INR 14 Crore

Shimron Hetmyer (Guyanese): INR 11 Crore

(Uncapped)

Sandeep Sharma (Indian): INR 4 Crore

Right-to-Match (RTM) card availability for the mega auction

None

Mega Auction Buys

Jofra Archer (English): Base price INR 2 crore – Bid won INR 12.50 crore

Tushar Deshpande (Indian): Base price INR 1 crore – Bid won INR 6.50 crore

Wanindu Hasaranga (Sri Lankan): Base price INR 2 crore – Bid won INR 5.25 crore

Maheesh Theekshana (Sri Lankan): Base price INR 2 crore – Bid won INR 4.40 crore

Nitish Rana (Indian): Base price INR 1.50 crore – Bid won INR 4.20 crore

Fazalhaq Farooqi (Afghanistan): Base price INR 2 crore – Bid won INR 2 crore

Kwena Maphaka (South African): Base price INR 75 lakh – Bid won INR 1.50 crore

Akash Madhwal (Indian): Base price INR 30 lakh – Bid won INR 1.20 crore

Vaibhav Suryavanshi (Indian): Base price INR 30 lakh – Bid won INR 1.10 crore

Shubham Dubey (Indian): Base price INR 30 lakh – Bid won INR 80 lakh

Yudhvir Singh (Indian): Base price INR 30 lakh – Bid won INR 35 lakh

Kunal Singh Rathore (Indian): Base price INR 30 lakh – Bid won INR 30 lakh

Ashok Sharma (Indian): Base price INR 30 lakh – Bid won INR 30 lakh

Kumar Kartikeya (Indian): Base price INR 30 lakh – Bid won INR 30 lakh

Full Squad

Sanju Samson, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel, Shimron Hetmyer, Sandeep Sharma, Jofra Archer, Maheesh Theekshana, Wanindu Hasaranga, Akash Madhwal, Kumar Kartikeya, Nitish Rana, Tushar Deshpande, Shubham Dubey, Yudhvir Singh, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Kwena Maphaka, Kunal Rathore, Ashok Sharma

Best Playing XI

Sanju Samson, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel, Riyan Parag, Shubham Dubey, Shimron Hetmyer, Nitish Rana, Jofra Archer, Wanindu Hasaranga, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Tushar Deshpande

Former Indian cricket legend and head coach Rahul Dravid has made a much-anticipated return to the Rajasthan Royals (RR) as their head coach on a multi-year contract. Dravid, who previously captained the Royals in the 2012 and 2013 IPL seasons before taking on the role of mentor and Director of Cricket for the franchise in 2014 and 2015, is back in the IPL fold after a long hiatus.

Rahul Dravid returns to Rajasthan Royals, set for IPL auction after 8 years

Dravid’s last association with the IPL came before he shifted his focus to nurturing young Indian talent through the Under-19 setup. His efforts bore fruit as India produced several world-class cricketers during his tenure. More recently, Dravid concluded his stint as India's head coach on a high note, guiding the team to victory in the T20 World Cup 2024.

As Dravid prepares to represent RR at the IPL 2025 auction table, he reflected on his return, saying, “I haven’t attended an auction in about eight or nine years. I remember being part of the first auction in 2008—it felt strange and awkward back then. Over the years, the process has evolved, becoming more professional and organized. While there aren’t jitters, there’s certainly a level of excitement because you’re building a team.”

That time of the year 💗⏳ pic.twitter.com/Tdp7zRBkiW

— Rajasthan Royals (@rajasthanroyals) November 24, 2024

#IPLAuction2025 ⏳🔥 pic.twitter.com/jCoOv82DtV

— Rajasthan Royals (@rajasthanroyals) November 23, 2024

See Also: Iyer-Chahal duo in same IPL squad: Fans react on social media

Core retentions limit RR’s auction purse

Rajasthan Royals have retained a strong core, including skipper Sanju Samson, emerging stars Yashasvi Jaiswal and Riyan Parag, alongside key players Shimron Hetmyer and Sandeep Sharma. This strategic move, however, has left them with ₹41 crore out of their ₹120 crore purse for the auction.

Dravid acknowledged the challenges this presents but emphasized the importance of adaptability during auctions. "We’ve retained a strong core, so we’re a little more comfortable. But in auctions, surprises are inevitable, and thinking on your feet is crucial,” he remarked.

With Dravid’s return and a well-structured squad, Rajasthan Royals are aiming to bring their A-game in IPL 2025 and reclaim the trophy.

Rajasthan Royals head coach Rahul Dravid recently shared insights into the team's retention strategy for IPL 2025, spotlighting captain Sanju Samson’s pivotal role in selecting the retained players. Dravid emphasized the importance of stability and a strong core, revealing that Samson's perspective and understanding were crucial in deciding which players to retain. The franchise has secured six players, including Samson, to maintain a solid foundation for the upcoming season.

Samson’s involvement in the Retention process

Rahul Dravid confirmed that Sanju Samson, Rajasthan Royals' captain and wicketkeeper-batter, was actively involved in the retention decisions, reflecting his commitment and deep understanding of the team. Samson, who has led the franchise for several years, was retained as the first pick along with five other key players—Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel, Riyan Parag, Shimron Hetmyer, and Sandeep Sharma.

Speaking on Samson’s role, Dravid mentioned, "Sanju Samson played a big role in the retention process, and it wasn’t an easy decision. He has built strong relationships within the team and has shown balanced judgment throughout." Dravid praised Samson’s leadership qualities, noting that his input helped shape the core of Rajasthan Royals, a team that aims to build on its strengths and remain competitive in the IPL.

Dravid further explained the rationale behind retaining a stable core, stating, “Retaining six players brings stability. We trust in our talent and wanted to build a team with players who align with our vision.” He added that although retaining these players means less flexibility with finances during the auction, the move enables them to focus on filling specific gaps to build a balanced squad.

See Also: SHOCKING: Player dies after being struck by a leather ball, Madras HC abstains from taking legal action

Preparing for a strong season and auction dynamics

Dravid highlighted the expectations and challenges for Rajasthan Royals in the upcoming season, particularly with the goal of clinching the IPL title. "It’s been years since Rajasthan won a title, and our aim this season is to qualify and win," Dravid said. He acknowledged the intense competition within the IPL, stressing the need for strategic planning and adaptability at the auction table.

With recent changes in the Right to Match (RTM) rule, Dravid believes this auction will be different, allowing for new opportunities to build the team. "We have prepared a foundation with our retained core, and now we can look at adding depth to the squad,” Dravid explained. He emphasized the importance of preparation and flexibility in the auction, acknowledging the need to adjust based on the dynamic auction environment.

Dravid’s insights reflect the strategic approach Rajasthan Royals are taking for IPL 2025. With a captain invested in the team's future and a strong core in place, the Royals are setting the stage for a promising season.

Following the IPL 2025 retention announcements, Rajasthan Royals coach Rahul Dravid emphasized the importance of a strong core to foster team cohesion and success. By retaining captain Sanju Samson, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Riyan Parag, Shimron Hetmyer, Dhruv Jurel, and Sandeep Sharma, Dravid aims to build a competitive squad with a focus on loyalty and talent, keeping Rs 41 crore in the franchise's purse for the upcoming auction.

Dravid’s vision: Core players and team loyalty

Rahul Dravid, renowned for his approach to player development, elaborated on the Royals' strategy for retention, underscoring the value of a core group for sustained performance. He explained, "We have a lot of talented players who have performed well. We trust our talent, and we also want to maintain the core and build the team around it. A loyal core provides stability and reflects a franchise's commitment to its players."

This approach aligns with Dravid’s long-standing philosophy of nurturing talent while maintaining squad consistency, a quality he believes is vital for team spirit and loyalty. By retaining these six players, Dravid hopes to foster a close-knit team culture that can endure the high-stakes competition in the IPL.

With Rs 41 crore remaining in their budget, the Royals enter the auction with ample resources but no Right to Match (RTM) cards, meaning they must strategize carefully to build around the retained core. Dravid expressed confidence in their financial flexibility, suggesting that the Royals are well-prepared to secure additional high-impact players who align with their established core.

 

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by Star Sports India (@starsportsindia)

Key players released: Pant and KL Rahul return to the auction pool

Elsewhere, the IPL 2025 retention deadline saw several high-profile players, including Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul, released by their respective franchises. Pant, with over 100 matches for Delhi Capitals, returns to the auction pool, adding a valuable wicketkeeper-batsman to the market. KL Rahul, who led the Lucknow Super Giants since 2022, is another standout release, expected to attract significant bids at the auction.

According to sources, Chennai Super Kings are already strategizing to bring Rishabh Pant to the MA Chidambaram Stadium, with their management keen to add his experience and skillset to their lineup.

See Also: Will Young’s resilient 50 counters Sundar’s double strike in Mumbai Test

Dravid’s strategy of retaining a core group reflects a broader trend among IPL franchises, where team identity and loyalty are increasingly prioritized. Teams like the Royals aim to create a blend of stability and performance, focusing on nurturing talent that resonates with their ethos and vision. This approach not only enhances performance but also deepens the connection between players and their franchises, adding a layer of brand loyalty and fan engagement.

With the auction approaching, it will be interesting to see how the Rajasthan Royals and other franchises use their budgets and retention strategies to secure a winning combination for the 2025 season.

One-time IPL champions Rajasthan Royals (RR) have announced their retained players for the IPL 2025 season. 

Rajasthan Royals stunned the cricket fans by winning the inaugural edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) in the 2008 edition. Before resetting their tough and challenging image in recent years, the Royals hugely struggled. 

In the last three seasons, Rajasthan Royals reached the playoffs for two seasons, including the IPL 2024, where they were eliminated from the Qualifier 2. In the IPL 2022, the Royals reached the final and lost against the tournament debutant Gujarat Titans to finish as the runners-up. 

Sanju Samson has been leading Rajasthan Royals since the 2021 edition. Under his captaincy, the Royals are growing strongly. 

Rajasthan Royals player retention

Rajasthan Royals spent INR 79 crore to retain six players. They retained five capped players and one uncapped player. Now, they can use the remaining INR 41 crore to fill up the squad at the mega auction.

(Capped)

Sanju Samson (Indian): INR 18 Crore

Yashasvi Jaiswal (Indian): INR 18 Crore

Riyan Parag (Indian): INR 14 Crore

Dhruv Jurel (Indian): INR 14 Crore

Shimron Hetmyer (Guyanese): INR 11 Crore

(Uncapped)

Sandeep Sharma (Indian): INR 4 Crore

Right-to-Match (RTM) card availability for the mega auction

None

Former India head coach Rahul Dravid has found a new job as he has returned to the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise, Rajasthan Royals as the Head Coach. The Indian batting legend tasted success with the national team as the head coach which went on to win the T20 World Cup 2024. After stepping down as the national team’s head coach, Dravid subsequently returned to the cash-rich league, reuniting with his former franchise where he played and mentored as well.

Rahul Dravid joins Rajasthan Royals