Former Australian captain and Punjab Kings (PBKS) head coach Ricky Ponting expressed his surprise that franchises did not retain players like Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant, and KL Rahul ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction. He suggested that teams are choosing to head in a different direction.
Despite strong performances in the 2024 season, Pant (Delhi Capitals), Shreyas (Kolkata Knight Riders), and Rahul (Lucknow Super Giants) were released by their teams. All ten franchises revealed their retention lists on October 31, with Shreyas notably having led the Knight Riders to victory this year.
In a recent episode of the ICC Review, the Tasmanian remarked on the impressive number of star players available in this year’s mega auction. He stated:
“There are a lot of exciting players. So many. I’m a bit surprised with some of the non-Indian retentions if you like, with both Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant being available in the auctions.”
“It was a bit surprising, even KL Rahul to a certain degree. It seems like individuals or franchises are busy looking to move in different directions to some of their players.”
Rahul reportedly had a disagreement with Super Giants owner Sanjiv Goenka following the IPL 2024 match against Sunrisers Hyderabad, where his team lost by 10 wickets.
“That’s why his leadership is so crucial for Chennai”- Ricky Ponting comments on MS Dhoni being retained
With five-time champions Chennai Super Kings retaining Dhoni as an uncapped player, Ponting suggested that the keeper-batter may not participate in every match and might primarily serve as a mentor. He added:
“Two seasons back, he had his worst season, but then last year he bounced back to really have some impact on the game. MS Dhoni evolved. I think it might be the same, though they might not look at getting him through the season, maybe resting him for a game or two.”
“We shouldn’t forget that he’s been injured over the last couple of seasons, but any team he is going to be in he’ll be a mentor and leader of that group – whether he’s playing or on the sidelines. That’s why he’s so important to Chennai, for the leadership he brings, on and off the field.”
The date and location for the IPL 2025 auction have not been revealed yet.
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