Tue Oct 29 14:50:37 UTC 2024: ## IPL Retention Deadline Looms: Franchises Scramble to Finalize Their Squads

With the retention deadline for the upcoming IPL mega auction fast approaching, the 10 franchises are busy making crucial decisions on which players they will hold onto and which will be released into the auction pool. The IPL is allowing franchises to retain up to six players, the highest number in the league’s history, either through direct retention or using the Right to Match (RTM) card.

Here’s a look at the likely retention lists for each franchise:

**Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR):**
KKR are likely to retain veteran all-rounders Andre Russell and Sunil Narine, along with Australian pacer Mitchell Starc. Indian players Rinku Singh and Varun Chakravarthy are also strong contenders, with either Ramandeep Singh or Harshit Rana likely to fill the uncapped slot. Captain Shreyas Iyer, however, is rumored to be leaving the team.

**Chennai Super Kings (CSK):**
Veteran wicketkeeper-batter and former captain MS Dhoni is expected to play at least one more season, while senior all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja and captain Ruturaj Gaikwad are other key picks. Shivam Dube, Matheesha Pathirana and Sameer Rizvi are also likely to be retained.

**Mumbai Indians (MI):**
Rohit Sharma, despite earlier rumors of departure, is reportedly on MI’s retention list, along with skipper Hardik Pandya, Suryakumar Yadav, and Jasprit Bumrah. The uncapped slot is likely to go to either Anshul Kamboj or Nehal Wadhera.

**Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR):**
Pat Cummins and Heinrich Klaasen are automatic picks for KKR. The success of the opening combination of Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma means their retention is likely. Nitish Kumar Reddy is also likely to be retained.

**Rajasthan Royals (RR):**
RR is focusing on building a squad around captain Sanju Samson, with opener Yashasvi Jaiswal and Riyan Parag being top picks. Trent Boult and Yuzvendra Chahal are also likely to be retained.

**Gujarat Titans (GT):**
GT is unlikely to let go of star all-rounder Rashid Khan, despite rumors of interest from other teams. Skipper Shubman Gill, Mohammed Shami, David Miller and B Sai Sudharsan are also set to be retained. The uncapped slot is likely to be filled by either Rahul Tewatia or M Shahrukh Khan.

**Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB):**
RCB is likely to retain Virat Kohli and Mohammed Siraj. Will Jacks is expected to be retained, while skipper Faf du Plessis and Glenn Maxwell are unlikely to be retained. Yash Dayal is the likely uncapped player to be retained.

**Delhi Capitals (DC):**
Rishabh Pant’s future with the team is uncertain, but Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Tristan Stubbs, and Mitchell Marsh are all likely to be retained. Abhishek Porel could fill the uncapped slot.

**Punjab Kings (PBKS):**
Sam Curran is likely to be announced as the franchise’s full-time captain after leading the team last season. Arshdeep Singh, Kagiso Rabada, Liam Livingstone and Shashank Singh are other strong contenders.

**Lucknow Super Giants (LSG):**
LSG is likely to part ways with KL Rahul, with Nicholas Pooran taking over as captain. Mayank Yadav, Ravi Bishnoi, Mohsin Khan and Ayush Badoni are also likely to be retained.

The IPL retention deadline of 5 pm on Thursday, 31 October, promises to be a dramatic day for the franchises as they finalize their squad for the upcoming season.

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