One uncapped player each team might want to retain ahead of IPL 2025 ft. Sameer Rizvi for CSK
If the discussions about retentions and Right-to-Match (RTM) cards between IPL franchise owners are getting heated, like they reportedly did between Shah Rukh Khan and Ness Wadia, you know the next few weeks would be serious.
Some teams want to retain almost entire squads while others are looking for a rebuild. Both arguments make sense and so, at the moment, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) might look to find a middle ground somewhere.
This is likely to include a specific number of retentions for uncapped players which adds another level of intrigue. Below, we have made a list of one uncapped player each franchise should look to hold on to:
Chennai Super Kings - Sameer Rizvi
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have one of the easiest choices to make in this regard. They spent a massive Rs 8.4 crore on Uttar Pradesh batter Sameer Rizvi and, given the philosophy of their management, will want to back that call.
Rizvi didn't get a lot of chances in IPL 2024 but his first innings of 14 (6) against Gujarat Titans and last of 15*(8) against Rajasthan Royals showed glimpses of what he can do at the biggest stage. Rizvi is young and powerful, has tons of domestic experience and can win games with his power-hitting in the lower order.
With MS Dhoni's future up in the air, CSK would want to keep their finishing department strong and Rizvi, who won't mind a salary cut either, would make a lot of sense.
Delhi Capitals - Abhishek Porel
Bengal wicketkeeper-batter Abhishek Porel was one of the silver linings in a mediocre IPL campaign for the Delhi Capitals. He began with a game-changing 32* (10) against Punjab Kings in the Capitals' campaign opener but then Ricky Ponting trusted him to bat higher up the order.
After struggling initially, he reposed the fight with two half-centuries and a couple of good 40s from the top order. The 21-year-old showed that he was technically sound and adaptable, which are the skills every franchise looks for in youngsters.
Porel also showed that he can improve with a bit of clarity and whoever takes over from Ponting as the Capitals' head coach would love to work with him and perhaps even make him a key part of the future of the team's Indian core.
Kolkata Knight Riders - Angkrish Raghuvanshi
IPL 2024 champions Kolkata Knight Riders will have a tough job picking one uncapped player from a ton of those who either helped them win the campaign or were unearthed and groomed throughout a successful season.
But at the end of the day, the choice would be among the two most promising under-25 youngsters -- Harshit Rana and Angkrish Raghuvanshi. It'd likely be made easier because Harshit is likely to get a game in the upcoming ODI series against Sri Lanka, which will make him a capped player.
The Knight Riders would love to keep hold of Raghuvanshi, who is departing coach Abhishek Nayar's protege. The 19-year-old sizzled a half-century -- 54 off 27 -- in his debut innings and maintained the same tempo at number three throughout the tournament, helping the team get quick starts in the powerplay.
His fearless approach and solid range of shots would have certainly made other franchises envious. The Knight Riders won't want to risk sending him the auction and paying much more than the Rs 20 lakh they did for him last year.
Lucknow Super Giants - Mayank Yadav
Lucknow Super Giants also have one of the easiest choices to make. Their most promising young player -- 22-year-old Delhi speedster Mayank Yadav -- made such waves with his seven wickets in four innings that there were already discussions of getting him into the Indian side for the T20 2024 World Cup.
Despite a run of injuries that ultimately burst the bubble, the Super Giants won't want to lose a prospect like that at any cost. He was a reward of their scouting, a breakout star, and someone they could potentially build around in the future.
SunRisers Hyderabad - Nitish Kumar Reddy
Like the Super Giants, SunRisers Hyderabad also unlocked a probable future India star in Nitish Kumar Reddy. The all-rounder scored over 300 runs and picked up three wickets in the season to win the Emerging Player of the Year award.
He got called up for India's tour of Sri Lanka as well but suffered an injury. If his debut is delayed for the foreseeable months, the SunRisers might benefit from it and be able to retain him as an uncapped player which would be a big steal.
Punjab Kings - Ashutosh Sharma
Punjab Kings suffered in IPL 2024 due to a lack of consistent contributions from their senior players but in return, found bright moments from their uncapped players. Four were particularly impressive - Prabhsimran Singh, Ashutosh Sharma, Shashank Singh, and Harpreet Brar and it'll be difficult for them to pick just one.
Here, the question will be about which player gives them a unique skill set that is difficult to find in the auctions. The answer would likely be Ashutosh -- a superb hitter of the old ball who can finish games, who is sublime under pressure and who took no time to adjust to IPL's brouhaha in his first year.
Ashutosh could be the Kings' answer to Reddy and Mayank in nurturing the stars of India's immediate future.
Mumbai Indians - Naman Dhir
Mumbai Indians had one of their worst-ever IPL campaigns in 2024, finishing last after a season full of controversies around the captaincy switch.
In such scenarios, it becomes even harder for young Indian stars to look for inspiration and perform well enough to stand out. So, Naman's 140 runs in seven matches and decent filling overs (without any wickets) were brilliant.
His gutsy 62* (28) in the last match against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) showed he can manage pressure and be groomed into an excellent player.
Gujarat Titans - Shahrukh Khan
Gujarat Titans are going through a tough time of late. Their captain has transferred to his old team, the franchise is up for sale and is likely to go through an ownership change, mentor Gary Kirsten has moved to coaching Pakistan and some reports have suggested that head coach Ashish Nehra might be stepping down soon.
Retentions become key here and they have two clear choices -- Shahrukh Khan and Rahul Tewatia. Thanks to the Impact Player rule, Tewatia's superior batting ability doesn't mean much because both won't bowl a lot anyway so it's more about choosing a 31-year-old or a 29-year-old.
Tewatia has been with the team for a long time but has struggled to step up apart from the odd game. Shahrukh, on the other hand, can do with a set position in the team where he's trusted with finishing and given more balls to perform.
Shahrukh also has the benefit of consistent performances in the Tamil Nadu Premier League. If the Titans look ahead and look to build for the future, going with Shahrukh over Tewatia could be the right move.
Rajasthan Royals - Shubham Dubey
Rajasthan Royals are victims of what that hilarious DJ Khaled meme infers -- "suffering from success". They have a ton of excellent Indian youngsters but all of them have already made their India debuts, most of them in the last couple of years so it's a big possibility that they might not retain anyone.
But if they choose to, 28-year-old Shubham Dubey might be the name they go for. They signed the left-handed batter for a whopping Rs 5.80 crore and showed a big trust in his impactful numbers for Vidarbha in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.
He didn't get enough opportunities to judge his numbers in the season but the Royals shouldn't mind retaining him for a much lower price.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru - Yash Dayal
Finally, Royal Challengers Bengaluru would probably go for left-arm quick Yash Dayal as their first uncapped retention. The quick played almost every game and was one of the best young players in the tournament with his 15 wickets in 14 matches at an average of 30.60.
RCB have always struggled for good Indian pacers and Dayal might be a breakthrough in that regard. With his ability to swing the new ball and bowl finely at the death, too, he might be one of the stars of the future.