IPL 2025: Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu Want Greater Player Retention Before Mega Auction

In the last mega auction held in 2022, the IPL had allowed the teams to retain up to four players.

A three-year cycle has ended and another mega auction is coming up, but teams have differing views on player retention. Some want as many as eight and some are okay with four or five. The IPL governing council is yet to decide on the matter.

"Personally I feel retentions have to be a lot more because a franchise invests a lot on player, the core of the team is what makes every team unique in the IPL so for me, the longer the core remains, the culture of the team remains.

"There is a great chance of success. There needs to be lot of retentions. It can't be one or two. All the important players should be retained," said Rayudu, who will represent Konark Suryas Odisha in the Legends League Cricket beginning September 20.

Sitting next to Rayudu, Raina could not agree more with his former Chennai Super Kings teammate.

"I 100 percent agree with Rayudu. The mega auction should be every three years. The IPL governing council will do what is best for the game," said Raina.

Shubman Gill Should Be India's Next T20I Captain: Raina

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) recently named Suryakumar Yadav as the India T20I captain ahead of Hardik Pandya. The explosive Mumbai batter is expected to lead India in the next T20 World Cup in 2026. But Raina sees vice-captain Shubman Gill as the team's leader for a long time.

"Shubman Gill is a superstar. Gill is the vice-captain; it means someone is thinking about him. If he does well in the IPL and wins the trophy, he is the future (captaincy). He will be the next superstar," said Raina.

Raina is also excited about Rishabh Pant's return to Test cricket after close to two years.

"He is looking very good. He scored a fifty in Duleep Trophy. He has been keeping well. When you talk about a Test match you play it session by session.

"Bangladesh have done well against Pakistan. They have got good spinners, it will be interesting to see how the Indians bat against them," added Raina ahead of the first Test beginning in Chennai on Thursday, September 19.

(With PTI inputs)