SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) face a dilemma as all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy’s potential international debut could impact their retention strategy for the upcoming IPL 2025 mega auction. Reddy has been called up to India’s 15-man squad for the upcoming three-match T20I series against Bangladesh.
If Reddy makes his debut, SRH will lose the option to retain him as an uncapped player, which would significantly increase his retention cost. Under IPL’s latest retention rules, an uncapped player can be retained for Rs 4 crore, while a capped player would require a minimum retention fee of Rs 11 crore.
Former India opener Aakash Chopra believes SRH would be hoping that Reddy does not make his debut, as it would allow them to retain him for a lower price. “They would be praying that Nitish Kumar Reddy remains uncapped. They would be saying – ‘Please don’t play him in the T20I series’,” Chopra said.
Chopra also suggested that SRH should prioritize the retentions of captain Pat Cummins and young India batter Abhishek Sharma. “They have to firstly retain the captain and Abhishek Sharma. You have to retain Heinrich Klaasen and it’s great if you can get Travis Head,” he added.
SRH’s retention strategy will be crucial in shaping their team for the upcoming IPL season. The franchise will need to balance the need to retain key players with the financial constraints imposed by the retention rules.
