IPL 2025: Virat Kohli to be RCB's only retention ahead of mega auction

Former India paceman RP Singh feels that Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) will retain just Virat Kohli ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction. RP Singh also reckons that RCB will release every other player in the squad.

The IPL governing council recently announced the retention and RTM rules for the next mega auction. The franchises will now start working on their plans and strategies for the auction.

The IPL announced that the franchises can retain a total of six players, with a maximum of five players allowed to be retained directly. The other player should be any of the uncapped Indian players. A franchise can also retain a maximum of two uncapped Indian players.

Also read: IPL 2025: Hardik Pandya released, Rohit Sharma retained as ex-cricketer unveils MI retention list

RP Singh feels RCB will retain Virat Kohli and release everyone else

While speaking on Colors Cineplex, RP Singh predicted the retentions from Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Singh reckons that RCB will just retain Virat Kohli and release everyone else. He also mentioned that the franchise can use the RTM to retain other players like Rajat Patidar and Mohammed Siraj.

"I feel they don't have any problem. They will just retain Virat Kohli, release everyone else, and use the RTM. If we see the value taking Rajat Patidar as an example, will we get him for more or less than 11 crores at the auction?" RP Singh argued.

"I feel you will get Rajat Patidar for fewer. So you get him back at the auction. Even if he reaches close to 11 crores, you have the RTM which you can use there," he added.

The former India fast bowler feels that the team should go with a positive mindset and claimed that Kohli is the most important player in the team. He feels that Virat Kohli is the only one who deserves to get a big amount in this team.

"So they should go with a new mindset. They need Virat, he has contributed a lot to the franchise, and Virat is the most important player as well. So they should think about building the team around him, or with a new thought. I don't see anyone else apart from Virat Kohli having a value of 18 or 14 crores in this team," RP Singh noted.

Will RCB retain Mohammed Siraj?

Coming to Mohammed Siraj, Singh feels that the star India fast bowler won't reach 14 crores and hence, should be released from the team and instead should be picked through RTM.

"(Mohammed) Siraj, performance-wise, you will have to again judge whether you will get him close to 11 crores. I don't think Siraj will reach close to 14 crores. They will always have the option that if he reaches there, you can use the RTM," Singh opined.

The first retained player on the list will get INR 18 crore, the second player will get INR 14 crore, and the third player will get INR 11 crore. The fourth and fifth retentions will get INR 18 crore and INR 14 crore respectively. Meanwhile, the uncapped player will get INR 4 crore.

Uncapped players of RCB

RP Singh also shared his views on the uncapped players in RCB. He reckons that Anuj Rawat or Rajan Kumar won't fetch INR 4 crore at the auctions and should be released as well.

"If you talk about uncapped players, you took the name of Anuj Rawat and there is a left-arm pacer in Rajan Kumar, a good fast bowler who didn't play, but all of them won't reach close to four crores," he said.

Currently, RCB have big overseas players like Glenn Maxwell, skipper Faf du Plessis, Cameron Green, and Will Jacks. The team finished fourth in the IPL 2024 season after staging a dramatic comeback in the second half of the tournament.

RCB is one of the four IPL teams not to have won any IPL title so far. They will go to IPL 2025 with an eye on their maiden IPL trophy.