Sunrisers Hyderabad enjoyed a stellar IPL 2024 season, where they finished as runners-up, losing to Kolkata Knight Riders in the final. A team bustling with power-hitters, SRH are among the franchises which will be followed closely as the retention date looms closer; however, according to a report from ESPNCricinfo, the franchise has already finalised its top-three retentions.

The report suggests that Heinrich Klaasen is set to be SRH's top retention, with the power-hitter set to earn INR 23 crore (USD 2.74 million approx.). Klaasen, who amassed 479 runs at a blistering strike rate of 171.07 in IPL 2024, was Sunrisers' second-highest scorer, playing a key role in their campaign that ended in a runner-up finish. His explosive batting and consistency have made him the franchise's top priority.

Joining Klaasen in the retention list is Australian allrounder Pat Cummins, who captained Sunrisers to the final last season. Cummins is likely to be retained for INR 18 crore (USD 2.14 million approx.); he was impressive with the ball, and played a key role in guiding a balanced team to the brink of glory before falling short against Kolkata Knight Riders.

Indian allrounder Abhishek Sharma, who delivered an impressive 484 runs at a stunning strike rate of 204.21, is also set to earn his place as a key retention at INR 14 crore (USD 1.67 million approx.).

The franchise is expected to finalize deals for Travis Head and Nitish Kumar Reddy soon, solidifying their core ahead of the mega auction. The IPL retention deadline is set for October 31, as Sunrisers prepare to build another formidable squad for 2025.

The IPL has introduced new retention rules for the 2025 season, allowing franchises to retain up to six players from their 2024 squads. Teams can retain a maximum of five capped players—whether Indian or overseas—and two uncapped Indian players.

Franchises have the flexibility to secure their players either through retention deals or by using right-to-match (RTM) cards during the auction, or a combination of both strategies. These changes aim to give teams more control over their core squads while offering flexibility in balancing star power and emerging talent.

Retention rules

The auction purse for 2025 has been set at INR 120 crore, with specific retention slabs laid out for capped players. The first three capped players can be retained at INR 18 crore, INR 14 crore, and INR 11 crore, respectively, while the next two can be secured for either INR 18 crore or INR 14 crore. Uncapped Indian players will fetch a maximum of INR 4 crore.

However, franchises have the freedom to distribute the INR 75 crore retention budget for capped players as they see fit, allowing more nuanced decisions in how they invest in their marquee talents.

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