India's rising batting sensation, Shubman Gill, is set to be the first retention for IPL franchise Gujarat Titans ahead of the mega auctions. The right-handed opening batter, who was named the GT captain in IPL 2024 after Hardik Pandya went back to Mumbai Indians, is set to get ₹18 crore as the first retention of the franchise. According to a PTI report, apart from Gill, GT are also likely to retain star spinner Rashid Khan and left-handed batter Sai Sudharsan ahead of the IPL mega auction.

Uncapped hitters Rahul Tewatia and Shahrukh Khan are also expected to be retained by the franchise. "Shubman, Rashid and Sai will be retained by the franchise," said an IPL source.

Gill is viewed as a promising future leader in Indian cricket. He captained the Titans for the first time earlier this year, leading the team to finish eighth out of ten. The Titans made a strong debut in the IPL, winning the championship in 2022 and finishing as runners-up in 2023, both under Hardik Pandya’s captaincy.

Rashid's retention comes as no surprise. The 26-year-old had an impressive start with 19 wickets in his first season in 2022 and followed it up with 27 wickets the next year. However, his performance dipped this season, managing only 10 wickets in 12 games with an average of 36.70.

Sudharsan is also set to be retained ahead of the October 31 deadline after a standout season where he scored 527 runs in 12 matches, including a century. He has already made appearances in three ODIs and a T20 for the national team.

Uncapped Shahrukh Khan and Rahul Tewatia in GT's radar

Uncapped Shahrukh Khan made a notable impact with a strike rate of 169.33, making him a valuable asset for the franchise at a price of ₹4 crore.

Veteran player Tewatia, who has almost 100 IPL games under his belt, is another expected retention. The southpaw had a stellar season with a strike rate exceeding 145.

The mega auction is anticipated to take place overseas in the last week of November, with the auction budget increasing to ₹120 crore from ₹100 crore in the previous year. This new salary cap now includes the auction purse, incremental performance pay, and match fees, with a match fee set at ₹7.5 lakh per game for the upcoming season.

Teams will have the option to retain up to six players, either through retention or right to match, marking the highest allowance in IPL history.

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