New Delhi, Sep 17 (PTI) – IPL legends Suresh Raina and Ambati Rayudu are advocating for a significant increase in player retention limits ahead of the 2025 IPL auction. They believe that maintaining an unchanged core is crucial for teams to perform exceptionally well in the world’s premier T20 competition.

During the last mega auction in 2022, the IPL permitted franchises to retain up to four players. However, as the three-year cycle concludes and another mega auction approaches, teams hold diverse opinions on player retention policies. Some franchises are pushing for the ability to retain as many as eight players, while others are comfortable with retaining four or five.

The IPL Governing Council has yet to make a final decision on this matter.

Rayudu, who will be playing for Konark Suryas Odisha in the upcoming Legends League Cricket starting on September 20, voiced his opinion strongly. “Personally, I feel that the retention limit should be significantly increased. A franchise invests heavily in its players, and the core team is what sets each franchise apart in the IPL. The longer this core remains intact, the more the team culture is preserved, which greatly enhances the chances of success. There should be numerous retentions, not just one or two. All key players should be retained.”

Sitting beside Rayudu, his former Chennai Super Kings teammate Suresh Raina fully concurred. “I completely agree with Rayudu. The mega auction should take place every three years. The IPL Governing Council will make the best decision for the sport,” Raina stated.

In other cricket news, the BCCI recently appointed Suryakumar Yadav as India’s T20 captain, succeeding Hardik Pandya. Yadav is anticipated to lead India in the next T20 World Cup scheduled for 2026. However, Raina envisions vice-captain Shubman Gill as a long-term leader for the team. “Shubman Gill is a rising star. His appointment as vice-captain indicates that there are plans for him. If he performs well in the IPL and wins the trophy, he is undoubtedly the future captain and will be the next superstar,” Raina remarked.

Raina also expressed his excitement about Rishabh Pant’s imminent return to Test cricket after nearly two years. “Pant is looking in excellent form. He scored a fifty in the Duleep Trophy and has been keeping wickets well. Test cricket is all about playing session by session, and it will be interesting to see how the Indian batsmen fare against Bangladesh’s strong spin attack,” Raina added, ahead of the first Test beginning in Chennai on Thursday.

In summary, both Rayudu and Raina emphasize the importance of increasing player retention limits to maintain team integrity and enhance performance in the IPL. The final decision by the IPL Governing Council is eagerly awaited by all stakeholders in the cricketing world.