It’s not often that IPL retention is on the day of Diwali, one of the biggest festivals in India and that has more hype and anticipation than the latter. The build-up has been such. With all the reports and speculations leading up to the deadline day on October 31 for the last six weeks, the expectations of which players will be retained, who will be released, and what are salaries we talking about are on everyone’s mind. With the BCCI tweaking a few rules regarding retention and player auction, 5 PM IST on Thursday, October 31 is keenly awaited. For some, that might be the start of Diwali festivities in the evening.
As per reports, the likes of Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant will no longer be associated with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Delhi Capitals respectively. These are big calls, especially since Iyer led KKR to a title and Pant is an all-format star for the Indian team and it must not have been easy for the teams to get to that point either. Then there is the 43-year-old youngster, who can’t help but play the IPL, this time as an uncapped player.
Then there is the price caps and salaries. How much are teams willing to pay a certain player to keep them in their corner? The price negotiations and possible use of right-to-match (RTM) cards have added a new dimension to the player retention process, especially with the increase in fixed deductions. If a team is retaining five capped players, it will go INR 75 crore short into the auction. Will franchises take such a risk?
These are all the questions everyone will get answers to by the end of the day.
When and where to IPL 2025 retentions live on TV and OTT?
The IPL 2025 retention deadline as per BCCI is October 31, 5 PM IST. The build-up on the broadcast will begin at 4:30 PM IST with the announcement of each of the 10 teams set to commence at 5 PM one by one. The retentions will be announced by the respective teams on social media but it will also be live telecast on TV on Sports18 1. The live streaming of the retention announcement will be on the JioCinema app and website.