5 big players who were retained ahead of IPL 2022 mega auction but released ahead of 2025 auction ft. Rishabh PantÂ
A combination of failed negotiations, steep retention policies, and price slabs coupled with growing age has resulted in several players who were retained three years ago, being back into the auction pool yet again. The franchises have finalized their retention lists ahead of the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) mega auction, and it has sprung up several surprising calls.
Given that the 2024 edition signaled the end of the three-year cycle, it brought upon the mega auction yet again. As per the protocols, franchises are only allowed to retain a few select players, and are deprived of the liberty they usually have during the mini-auction off-season.
The franchise think tank have to consider a number of factors, primarily from a long-term perspective to decide on the retentions and also take the auction dynamics into consideration as well.
On that note, let us take a look at five big players who were retained ahead of the IPL 2022 mega auction but released ahead of the 2025 auction.
#1 Mohammed Siraj
The Indian all-format pacer's rise with the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) was a phenomenal sight to witness. His consistency and impact led him to be one of the three retained players for the franchise alongside Virat Kohli and Glenn Maxwell in 2021 for INR 7 crore.
He had an up-and-down three-year period with the franchise, but the general expectation was that he would be retained considering that he is the bowling spearhead, coupled with the fact that he is an Indian seamer - a prized commodity on the auction floor.
However, RCB went in a different direction. They opted to retain Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar, and Yash Dayal to go into the auction with a stacked purse. Siraj might still have a future with RCB considering they have multiple RTMs that can be put to use.
#2 Jos Buttler
Buttler's retention back in 2021 was a no-brainer considering that he was perhaps the best T20 batter. He also forged an excellent chemistry with Yashasvi Jaiswal at the top of the order. The England international was the franchise's second-choice retention at INR 10 crore, behind skipper Sanju Samson ahead of the 2022 mega auction.
He proved his worth straightaway with an Orange Cap display in the 2022 edition, almost coming close to breaching Virat Kohli's all-time record. However, his last two seasons have been inconsistent with sporadic sparks, while his recurring injury concerns have also played a factor.
Despite RR retaining the maximum quota of six players, Buttler does not find a place on the list, and heads back to the auction floor. He may have well played his final game for RR, given that the franchise do not have any RTM remaining.
#3 Rishabh Pant
In 2021, DC had a huge headache pertaining to two of their superstars battling for bragging rights. Both Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant had proven they could be the long-term face of the franchise. The latter ended up winning the race, and was retained as the first-choice player for INR 16 crore along with the captaincy responsibilities.
However, in the three-year cycle, DC failed to qualify for the playoffs and Pant missed the 2023 edition after suffering a car accident. The wicket-keeper batter made a memorable return in the 2024 season, but the relations between him and the franchise steadily deteriorated. Pant even started posting cryptic tweets pertaining to his potential release and presence in the auction list.
The rumors proved to be true as Pant's name was absent from DC's retention candidates. The franchise chose to go with Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Tristan Stubbs, and Abishek Porel, ending their eight-year association with Pant.
#4 Glenn Maxwell
The Australian all-rounder's IPL career has been a series of highs and lows. He endured a difficult period with the Punjab Kings during the lockdown, and was in desperate need of a revival. That is when RCB broke the bank for him at the auction, and roped him in for INR 14.25 crore.
He proved his worth with a blockbuster season worth 513 runs, leading to RCB retaining him for INR 11 crore ahead of the 2022 mega auction. The all-rounder forged a strong trio with Virat Kohli and Faf du Plessis to make a strong batting backbone.
However, things took a serious dip in 2024 as Maxwell only scored 52 runs in nine innings at an average of 5.78, which inevitably sealed his release. As a result, there were no surprises when his name was missing in RCB's retention list ahead of the 2025 mega auction.
#5 Venkatesh Iyer
The all-rounder had a breakthrough in the second half of the 2021 IPL season, playing a crucial role in the Kolkata Knight Riders' (KKR) run to the finals. However, his retention over Shubman Gill caused a lot of stir. Iyer was named as the third-choice retention for INR 8 crore.
Over the last three seasons, he has been a valuable asset for KKR. Dropping down to No.3 from his opening role, he continued to be among the runs, barring the 2022 season.
He played a crucial role in KKR's victorious campaign in 2024, being the perfect candidate to take the baton from the explosive and prolific opening duo of Sunil Narine and Phil Salt.
However, with only a limited set of players allowed to be retained. KKR did not have a spot for Iyer, as they went with the likes of Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, Rinku Singh, Varun Chakravarthy, Harshit Rana, and Ramandeep Singh.