With the IPL 2025 player retention deadline fast approaching, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) is finalizing its core squad for the next season. RCB fans are already speculating on which players will continue their journey with the team and which players will get released. Here’s a look at likely retentions, potential releases, and strategic decisions RCB might take for the upcoming season.
Kohli’s position at RCB is non-negotiable. As a veteran with 17 years of loyalty to the franchise, Kohli is integral not just for his experience but for his leadership on and off the field. His retention is a given, as RCB looks to build a strong team around him once again.
This is likely Kohli’s opportunity to reclaim an IPL title, a feat that has eluded him so far, making him more determined to lead from the front. Kohli showed that he is still at the top of his game as he claimed the Orange Cap last season by amassing 741 runs at a staggering average of 61.75.
RCB faces a tough decision between Mohammed Siraj, Rajat Patidar, and Will Jacks. Siraj’s consistency with the ball and the lack of reliable Indian pace bowling options could secure his place, especially given his powerplay impact and death-over skills. He was instrumental in RCB’s run to the Playoffs last season as he picked up 15 wickets in 14 games.
Patidar, an emerging talent, has proven his mettle in previous seasons and offers long-term potential. Although he had a slow start in the previous season, he really dazzled in the second half, finishing with 395 runs to his name, including five fifties. His consistency in the middle-order was one of the main reasons behind RCB’s late surge into the Playoffs.
Meanwhile, Will Jacks, the English all-rounder, brings versatility with his batting and bowling skills. When Glenn Maxwell struggled last season, Jacks replaced him and went on to amass 230 runs in eight matches at an excellent strike-rate of 175.57. He also chipped in with two wickets with his effective part-time off-spin.
While all three players have played a pivotal role, RCB will probably lean towards retaining Siraj and Patidar as both are bankable Indian options.
Glenn Maxwell is expected to be released following his horror run in the last IPL season. Maxwell struggled to get runs in the previous edition, amassing only 52 runs in 10 matches. Although he had consistently racked up 300+ runs for RCB in the preceding three seasons, something just didn’t seem right in his game in IPL 2024.
He failed to inspire the same confidence and now that RCB have another similar in-form option in Will Jacks, they will probably lean towards him over retaining Maxwell.
Maxwell’s steep price tag also influences this decision, allowing RCB to clear salary space and target alternative middle-order options at the auction.
Faf du Plessis, RCB’s captain for the last three seasons, presents an interesting dilemma. His leadership and batting have been valuable; however, his age and the need to build for the future may sway RCB to let him go.
There’s a chance RCB may still retain him if they want continuity in leadership. However, if du Plessis enters the auction, RCB could use their Right to Match (RTM) card, depending on his auction demand, to retain his leadership without committing upfront.
Australian all-rounder Cameron Green is one of the hottest prospects in world cricket right now. He would have been the second retention for RCB after Kohli but things have changed significantly after his spine surgery recently.
Green will miss the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy between India and Australia and his recovery will take a significant amount of time. Although he is expected to be fit to play by the time IPL 2025 starts, he will probably play only as a batter. According to reports, it will take at least the entirety of next year for him to start bowling again. So, it’s upto RCB now if they want to retain him purely as a batter.
They traded him into their side last season for a whopping sum of INR 17.5 crores. So, retaining him will cost almost a similar amount or even more. Now RCB have to decide whether it’s worth retaining him only as a batter. In IPL 2024, Green scored 255 runs and picked up 10 wickets.
Among uncapped players, Yash Dayal stands out as a likely retention. His contributions with the ball have shown promise, and he could add depth to RCB’s bowling attack. Dayal impressed with his new ball spells last season, finishing with 15 wickets in 14 games.
Investing in Dayal aligns with RCB’s approach of nurturing young talent while allowing the management more flexibility in purse allocation. Retaining an uncapped player like Dayal also provides cost-effective value for the squad as they can retain him for only INR 4 crores.
The four retentions will cost RCB INR 47 crores, which means they are poised to enter the auction with a substantial purse, potentially around INR 73 crores, alongside two Right to Match (RTM) cards. These RTMs offer RCB strategic leverage to bid back key players like Faf du Plessis or even Maxwell, should they choose to pursue them without dedicating retention slots.
This purse size and the RTM cards position RCB to be highly competitive at the auction, as they can rebuild their squad around their core retentions while having an edge over the franchises who will come into the auction with lower purse value and zero RTMs.
(Prasenjiit Dey has been working as a sports journalist for about a decade. You can follow him on X and instagram.)
