They won only four matches and lost 10 out of 14. in IPL 2025.
Rajasthan Royals (RR) had a below-par season in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, finishing ninth on the points table with only four wins and 10 losses from 14 matches. RR had some good players, but they didn’t perform as per expectations. With the IPL 2026 auction coming up, they may release expensive underperformers to include a few key and experienced players for next season.
TKR
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ABF
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SLK
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SKA
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MIEDM
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DCDM
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GGDM
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DVDM
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PD
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SDS
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EDR
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CDK
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NDS
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NDT
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CLZ
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NEZ
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NTZ
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EZ
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BAC
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TSA
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UCCB
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TSA
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UCCB
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CLJ
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BAC
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TSA
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UCCB
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CLJ
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LKLS
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CLJ
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ACB
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TSA
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ACB
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CLJ
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LKLS
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CLJ
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ACB
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TSA
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TBC
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TBC
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TBC
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TBC
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PNG
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KNY
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QAT
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DEN
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DEN
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KWT
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PNG
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JER
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CAN
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NAM
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GER-W
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NED-W
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ITA-W
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IRE-W
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MUR
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NK
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LLG
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NWW
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CAGS
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KBTS
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ATR
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TTS
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KBTS
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ATR
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ARKS
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ALRS
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MGD
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BNB
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HBT
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TBC
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ROS
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YSG
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MAT
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IAI
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TMB
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WSS
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IPS
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NSBB
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SGR
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RLS
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UOQ
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WYN
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SSC
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SBB
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TRR
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BIP
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SOB
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WEF
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TRW-W
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BIP-W
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SBW-W
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WFW-W
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LUF
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MEMA
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GOLS
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NOSK
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KASS
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LUF
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NOSK
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KARS
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| PLAYER | PRICE (INR crore) |
| Sanju Samson | 18.00 |
| Yashasvi Jaiswal | 18.00 |
| Dhruv Jurel | 14.00 |
| Riyan Parag | 14.00 |
| Jofra Archer | 12.50 |
| Shimron Hetmyer | 11.00 |
| Tushar Deshpande | 6.50 |
| Wanindu Hasaranga | 5.25 |
| Maheesh Theekshana | 4.40 |
| Nitish Rana | 4.20 |
| Sandeep Sharma | 4.00 |
| Nandre Burger | 3.50 |
| Fazalhaq Farooqi | 2.00 |
| Kwena Maphaka | 1.50 |
| Akash Madhwal | 1.20 |
| Vaibhav Suryavanshi | 1.10 |
| Shubham Dubey | 0.80 |
| Yudhvir Singh | 0.35 |
| Kunal Singh Rathore | 0.30 |
| Ashok Sharma | 0.30 |
| Kumar Kartikeya | 0.30 |
| Lhuan-dre Pretorius | 0.30 |
Ahead of the IPL 2026 Auction, here’s a look at the likely RR Retention List:
RR skipper Sanju Samson could only play nine matches in IPL 2025 due to injuries and fitness issues. He scored 285 runs at an average of 35.62 and a strike rate of 140.39. Reports suggest that Sanju has requested to leave RR ahead of the new season.
Tushar Deshpande could be one of the pacers to be released by RR. In IPL 2025, he failed to reach double digits in wickets and had a high economy rate of over 10.
Wanindu Hasaranga is likely to be released after a disappointing IPL 2025. He struggled with the ball and scored only nine runs in five innings with the bat.
Maheesh Theekshana took only two wickets in five matches during IPL 2024 for CSK. He improved slightly in IPL 2025 for RR, but his performances were still not convincing.
Here’s a look at how the Rajasthan Royals will shape up after the likely retentions and releases:
Yashasvi Jaiswal, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel, Shimron Hetmyer, Sandeep Sharma, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Shubham Dubey, Akash Madhwal, Kwena Maphaka, Ashok Sharma, and Jofra Archer.
Sanju Samson, Wanindu Hasaranga, Kunal Singh Rathore, Tushar Deshpande, Kumar Kartikeya, Maheesh Theekshana, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Nandre Burger, Yudhvir Singh Charak, and Nitish Rana.
If RR release the mentioned players, they will free up a good budget. With some of them earning big amounts, the franchise could enter the IPL 2026 auction with strong spending power.
Final Purse Amount: INR 41.3 crore.
ALSO READ:
Cameron Green for Sanju Samson – Cameron Green is expected to fetch a high price in the auction. If RR releases Sanju Samson, it will free up a big part of their purse and help them target Green, who could play the No.3 role in the team.
Matt Henry for Fazalhaq Farooqi – If RR decide to release Fazalhaq Farooqi and other overseas pacers like Nandre Burger, they will need to bring in a fast bowler who can complement Jofra Archer. Matt Henry, who is in excellent form in both leagues and international cricket, could be one of the pacers RR might target.
Rehan Ahmed for Wanindu Hasaranga/Maheesh Theekshana – Rehan Ahmed might be available in the IPL 2026 auction and could draw interest from many teams because of his good form. As an all-rounder, he can contribute with both bat and ball. If RR release Hasaranga and/or Theekshana, Rehan could be a good replacement and a better option with his all-round skills.
They can retain players like Yashasvi Jaiswal, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel, and Shimron Hetmyer.
Rajasthan Royals could release players like Sanju Samson, Tushar Deshpande, Wanindu Hasaranga, and Maheesh Theekshana.
RR’s purse at the IPL 2026 auction could be around INR 41 crore.
