MS Dhoni Returns as Uncapped Player IPL 2025: Official Retention Announcement Is Here! Featuring CSK, DC, GT, LSG, and MI!

Get ready for the excitement of the IPL 2025 mega auction! Here’s the official retention list, showcasing the strategies of your favorite teams. Scroll down to discover some surprising decisions and standout selections from Chennai Super Kings, Delhi Capitals, Gujarat Titans, Lucknow Super Giants, and Mumbai Indians. Don't miss the highlights as these franchises gear up for another thrilling season!

Chennai Super Kings (CSK)

Chennai Super Kings, the five-time IPL champions and one of the league's most successful teams, faces some tough decisions ahead of the 2025 Mega Auction. Last season proved challenging as they failed to qualify for the playoffs, leaving them eager to bounce back with a stronger squad this year. With Ruturaj Gaikwad leading the side as the new captain, the team is built around him.

CSK is known for sticking with its core players over multiple seasons, and it continues this strategy with some key retentions. A significant talking point is Mahendra Singh Dhoni's retention as an uncapped player. All eyes are on CSK as they finalize their decisions. Here’s a look at the confirmed retentions for CSK ahead of the auction.

Delhi Capitals (DC)

Delhi Capitals’ IPL journey has been underwhelming so far. Despite their hard efforts, they consistently fall short in crucial moments. As they head into the upcoming season, they face significant changes with a new management takeover. The shift from Ricky Ponting and Sourav Ganguly to Hemang Badani and Venu Gopal Rao marks a pivotal moment for the team.

This fresh direction presents both a potential setback and an opportunity for a new beginning ahead of the Mega Auction, as all teams must rebuild almost from scratch. The Capitals are eager for a strong start this time around, but a major surprise comes with the decision not to retain Rishabh Pant, who many expected would be their first retention. Here’s a look at the confirmed retentions for the Capitals.

Gujarat Titans (GT)

Gujarat Titans, former one-time champions and one-time runners-up, experience a new beginning this season after trading their former captain, Hardik Pandya, to MI. Under Shubman Gill's leadership, the team starts strong, but their performance becomes underwhelming as the tournament progresses, ultimately leading to a failure to qualify for the playoffs. Nevertheless, the team boasts serious talent that could be retained ahead of the auction. With Ashish Nehra signing a new contract with GT and Parthiv Patel joining him as the assistant coach, here’s a look at their probable retentions ahead of the auction.

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) 

Lucknow Super Giants consistently qualify for the playoffs, but they often lose momentum at the crucial stages of the tournament. So far, their overall performance is underwhelming. Despite having a balanced team under KL Rahul’s leadership and a reputation for discovering talent through their scouts, they haven’t been able to clinch the title.

This season, LSG heads in a new direction, being more active at the auction table in search of the right balance to target their first IPL trophy. In a surprising twist, KL Rahul is not retained as expected, while Nicholas Pooran, their highest-paid player, is retained. Here’s a look at their confirmed retentions ahead of the mega auction.

Mumbai Indians (MI)

Mumbai Indians, the five-time champions, are widely regarded as one of the greatest teams in the tournament. However, since their last title win, they have struggled to maintain the dominance they once had. Last season proved to be one of their worst, especially given the star power in their squad.

Ahead of the mega auction, Mumbai faces tough decisions regarding player retention. Managing the salary slabs presents a challenge this season. Rohit Sharma could be their captain again, with the rest of the star players ready to play alongside him. Known for their tactical strategies and ability to navigate difficult situations, MI aims to rebound. If everything goes according to plan, here are MI’s confirmed retentions ahead of the auction.