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Are England fans becoming sick of Bazball?

Charbel Coorey
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Are England fans becoming sick of Bazball?

England fans are losing faith in Bazball. After sparking a turnaround in form in 2022, the England side under Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes have hit a bit of a wall this year. Out of 14 Tests, they’ve won seven and lost as many, but it’s more than just the numbers that has fans frustrated.

The lack of adaptation to different situations, especially turning pitches, has seen England come unstuck. After plundering 823/7d in the first Test in Multan, Stokes’ team had few answers on spinning pitches, where Sajid Khan and Noman Ali were rewarded for persisting with good lengths. England did not resort to defensive resilience or technique, which they rarely do under this style of play.

Stokes’ response to the 2-1 series defeat in Pakistan also came for scrutiny. “No”, Stokes replied nonchalantly to a question regarding his tactics against Saud Shakeel, who hit a crucial century in the deciding Test. “That look of disdain when a fair question was asked … honestly, this whole we double down on every decision just comes across as extreme arrogance,” one fan wrote on X.

Another cause of annoyance among England fans is the selection policy. Not only do the likes of Ollie Pope and Zak Crawley have safe positions in the XI despite middling records, but strong County Championship performers aren’t rewarded. Earlier this year, Josh Hull, who had a First Class bowling average above 60, was picked for a Test against Sri Lanka. Now, Jacob Bethell, a spin-bowling all-rounder with a First Class batting average of 25.44 and bowling average of 96.14, has been selected for the tour of New Zealand.

England fans express disatisfaction with Bazball approach

England fans have taken to social media to express their views on Bazball. Michael Vaughan led the chorus of discontent following the series loss to Pakistan. “Fantastic series win for Pakistan. As soon as the pitches started to spin they dominated England. It happened in India last year and now Pakistan. England’s high risk strategy doesn’t work against the spinning ball,” he wrote on X.

Here are some of the reactions.

England’s three-match Test series in New Zealand begins on November 28. Before that, England’s white-ball squads will play three ODIs and five T20Is in West Indies starting October 31.

Kyle Verryenne interview after century in Mirpur against Bangladesh

Charbel Coorey
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Kyle Verryenne interview after century in Mirpur against Bangladesh

South Africa keeper-batsman Kyle Verryenne produced one of the finest knocks of his career, hitting 114 in challenging conditions when the game was in the balance against Bangladesh in Mirpur. He won man of the match for his performance, where he and the bowlers set the platform for the Proteas to go on and win by seven wickets.

Speaking exclusively to CricBlog, Verryenne spoke about the difficulty of the conditions, his career aspirations and South Africa’s focus on the World Test Championship Final. You can listen to the full audio and read some of the key quotes below.

Kyle Verryenne interview: Century in Mirpur, career aspirations, South Africa’s lack of Tests, WTC Final hopes

On the extreme conditions in Mirpur… How do you recover?

Kyle Verryenne: “It was a tough experience. Day one wasn’t too bad, I didn’t really bat much on day one, and it was quite overcast, so it wasn’t as bad. But, the morning of day two was quite hot, and it made things quite difficult.

“From a recovery point of view, we’ve just been really good with pre-planning and pre-game stuff to make sure we’re hydrated.

“On the evening of that day [day two]… it was probably the toughest conditions I’ve batted in purely from the fact that everything was so draining and still had to maintain concentration was really, really difficult.”

“I need to start putting in performances…”

Kyle Verryenne: “I was able to contribute to the team in such trying conditions… we were 90/5 or something like that when I came in, so to go on and get a hundred from there, being under a lot of pressure and also I feel like in my Test career, I’m at the point where I need to start putting in performances.

“It was a release of all those emotions. Bit more relief than anything else.”

Does South Africa’s lack of Test cricket impact your game?

Kyle Verryenne: “I think I’ve spoken about it before, I think it has a massive impact on the team especially when it comes to individual performances in terms of getting momentum. Fortunately now we’ve got quite a few Tests coming up over the home summer, so that’ll be a lot better.

“It’s difficult, we had our last Test series… I think it ended in August in the West Indies, and I felt like personally you are getting into a bit of form, and then you’ve got to wait another two months to get your next game, so that becomes quite difficult. For the early part of my career, that’s been the most challenging.

“Everytime you feel like you’re finding your feet and feel like you’re getting into a rhythm, you need to wait another 2-3 months for the Tests… and then it’s two Test matches and then you’ve got to wait another 2-3 months.

“I say it definitely has an impact on consistency and finding your feet, and I think that’s probably why it takes maybe a little bit longer for guys to find their feet at this level now because there’s not that much cricket, so hopefully we’ll see more consistency from the guys going forward.”

Any aspirations to bat up the order?

Kyle Verryenne: “Definitely. Domestically, I’m someone who likes batting a lot of time and scoring hundreds and big runs, so I’d definitely like to get to a point in my Test career where I’m playing more of a batting role where I’m expected to get big hundreds.

“Obviously where I’m batting now you can still impact the game, but it’s not always that your number 9, 10 and 11 are going to stick around with you for long periods of time. It’s hard to always get the chance to score big runs that I feel like I’m capable of doing at this level. It’s something for further down the line in my career where I’d like to bat in the top four or five.”

Is your game suited more to away conditions?

Kyle Verryenne: “Not really. If I’m being completely honest, I think I’ve played six Tests at home, and four of them have been against the best team of our generation [India] if you can call it that… on some of the toughest pitches South Africa has ever seen against one of the best seam attacks in the world.

“I feel very comfortable at home, and I think I can get the best out of myself at home. As we play more, hopefully my record at home will improve.”

On South Africa’s chances of reaching the WTC Final at Lord’s in 2025…

Kyle Verryenne: “I don’t think it’s a secret, we speak about it [reaching the final] in the change room all the time. We want to play in that final and win the Test Championship. It’s a cliche to say you take one game at a time but… in reality, we know exactly what we need to do.

“Whilst we stay focused on what we need to do, we’re all looking ahead to that, and that’s definitely the target. I don’t want to say ‘if we don’t get there, we won’t be happy’, there’s processes and things we need to follow, but if we do get to that final, it won’t be something we weren’t expecting… it will be a goal achieved, and something we set out to do.

“It’s definitely something we put a lot of emphasis on. Hopefully we keep doing what we’re doing, because we’re on the right track to get there.”

Highest successful run chases in Tests at Rawalpindi

Charbel Coorey
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Highest successful run chases in Tests at Rawalpindi

The team batting fourth has won three of 15 Test matches at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, with two run chases coming in 2024 alone. Interestingly, the team batting second has won eight times compared to just three for sides batting first, with four draws.

In this article, we will look at these chases and the context behind them. History shows you don’t want to be chasing too many, and that is especially the case if the pitch is taking turn.

List of successful run chases in Tests at Rawalpindi

TargetTeamOpponentYear
220/8Sri LankaPakistan2000
185/4BangladeshPakistan2024
30/0BangladeshPakistan2024

1. 220/8 by Sri Lanka against Pakistan, 2000

The great Aravinda de Silva was at his best in the 2000 Test against Pakistan. He hit a patient 112 in the first innings to drive Sri Lanka to 353 in response to Pakistan’s 182.

Trailing by 171, Saeed Anwar (84), Younis Khan (107) and Wasim Akram (79) drove a great fightback by the hosts, forcing the Sri Lankan attack, featuring Chaminda Vaas and Muttiah Muralitharan, to toil for 152.1 in the second innings.

Needing 220 to win, it turned out to be a thrilling match. Sri Lanka fell to 177/8, but Arjuna Ranatunga (29*), who had previously retired not out, and Romesh Kaluwitharana (36*) saw the visitors home thanks to an unbeaten 43-run stand under pressure.

In the end, injury concerns to Wasim Akram (who bowled just 2.1 overs) and Saqlain Mushtaq hurt Pakistan badly. Abdul Razzaq (4/56) and Waqar Younis (2/78) bowled 50.5 overs between them in the second innings, but a win eluded them.

2. 185/4 by Bangladesh against Pakistan, 2024

A historic moment for Bangladesh cricket. They beat Pakistan in a Test series for the first time ever, sealing a 2-0 win courtesy of a clinical run chase.

However, it wasn’t all smooth sailing. After Pakistan scored 274 on a pitch offering movement for the fast bowlers, Bangladesh were reduced to the depths of 26/6. A 165-run stand between Litton Das (138) and Mehidy Hasan Miraz (78) put Bangladesh right back in the game, and they eventually trailed by just 12 on the first innings.

Pakistan, as has often been the case in recent years, collapsed batting second. They managed just 172 in 46.4 overs, with no answers to pacers Hasan Mahmud (5/43) and Nahid Rana (4/44).

In the chase, Zakir Hasan (40) provided a quick start, and Bangladesh never looked back. They registered numerous partnerships to eventually get to the target with six wickets to spare, with Shakib Al Hasan hitting the winning runs.

1. 30/0 by Bangladesh against Pakistan, 2024

Bangladesh also achieved a run chase at Rawalpindi in the same series. In the first Test, they only needed 30 after rolling Pakistan for 146 in the third innings of the match.

With the opening day curtailed due to a wet outfield, Pakistan declared earlier than many thought on day two with 448/6 on the board. However, they still would have been expecting to take a lead at home to a side that had never lost to previously.

But, it wasn’t to be. Mushfiqur Rahim (191) was at his best, combining for 114 runs with Litton Das (56) and a mammoth 196-run stand with Mehidy Hasan Miraz (77) to catapult Bangladesh to 565.

From there, Pakistan were mentally shot, collapsing in just 55.5 overs to hand Bangladesh an easy chase.

Fans livid with Team India’s batting performance at Pune

Charbel Coorey
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Fans livid with Team India’s batting performance at Pune

It’s not often you see India fans so angry with their team’s performance in a home Test. When the team needed to produce a good batting display given their predicament in the series, they meekly surrendered to New Zealand’s spinners, rolled for 156 in just 45.3 overs.

India’s decline against spin was on show. Technique, footwork and shot selection are areas of the game they have prided themselves on over many years, and none of that was on the agenda at Pune.

In fact, India’s batting has been shaky even at home in recent years. It has often been the lower order rescuing them from precarious positions against the likes of Australia (2023), England (2024) and Bangladesh recently when they fell to 144/6 at Chennai.

Virat Kohli’s dismissal was a sign of things to come. It was an unacceptable shot for such a great and celebrated player. Perhaps his mind is muddled as he fights to get out of a rut that dates back to the start of 2021, where he averages just 35.4 in 50 innings.

However, others have plenty to answer to as well. Rishabh Pant was reckless. Shubman Gill was out to a straight ball. Sarfaraz Khan threw his wicket away. It was then left to the lower order to pull off something special, but they couldn’t, leaving India 103 adrift of New Zealand’s first innings score of 259.

“There is a perception in modern-day cricket that Indians are great batters of spin. They are not. Those days are gone. Now, they are the same as everyone else,” said Simon Doull on commentary.

That being said, the New Zealand spinners deserve credit. Mitchell Santner, who looked all at sea against Sri Lanka last month, bowled the best he ever has in Test cricket. He was consistent, constantly asked questions of the batsmen, and used the turning surface to his advantage.

India criticised heavily for their batting display against New Zealand at Pune

However, India fans were having none of it. No one could have predicted that Santner, who had never taken more than three wickets in an innings, would go on to take seven. Glenn Phillips also chipped in with two of his own in just six overs.

Here are some of the reactions – the kind you rarely see from a team so dominant at home. There was criticism of not only the batting, but the captaincy and choice to produce such a surface after getting bowled out for 46 in Bengaluru.

Now, India face a huge fight to avoid their first series defeat on Indian soil since losing to England way back in 2012.

“We love Davey, but he’s retired” – Pat Cummins on David Warner comeback

Charbel Coorey
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“We love Davey, but he’s retired” – Pat Cummins on David Warner comeback

Australia captain Pat Cummins has poured cold water on a potential return for David Warner ahead of the Border Gavaskar Trophy which begins on November 22 in Perth.

Debates continue to grow as to who Usman Khawaja’s opening partner will be for the big series, and Warner put his hand up earlier this week. Warner, who retired from Test cricket following the three-match series against Pakistan last summer, said he’s always available if Australia desperately need someone.

“I’m always available, just got to pick up the phone,” Warner said, as quoted by journalist Ben Horne in codesports.com.au. “I’m always dead serious. Let’s be honest, the guys have played one red-ball game since their last Test matches in February [against New Zealand], so I’ve almost had the same preparation.”

Pat Cummins confirms Australia will look beyond David Warner

In a fantastic interview with The Grade Cricketer, Cummins said Australia haven’t confirmed who the opener will be, but it won’t be Warner.

“I did speak to Dave a couple of days ago; he said ‘what do you think?’, and I said ‘yep, good luck with the [Sydney] Thunder this year, mate'”, Cummins jokingly said. “Look forward to all your comments on Fox Sports.”

“I reckon it is a bit of wind up, I reckon he doesn’t mind seeing himself in the back page and he starts believing it”, Cummins continued. “We love Davey, but he’s retired, sorry Dave.”

In terms of who the opener will be, Cummins said a decision is yet to be made. The captain says there is still time and plenty of cricket to be played before the first Test, with Australia A matches to come against India A.

“We love davey, but he’s retired”

– Pat Cummins

“If I knew, I probably still wouldn’t tell you, but I don’t know,” Cummins said. “Every year, there’s one batting spot [up for debate]. There’s still water to go under the bridge, I just love seeing it all play out almost as an observer.

“That date [November 22] is almost a month way, it’s not going to get here any sooner… we’ve got time, but everyone wants to know right now.

“I’d wake up and in the papers it’s ‘Trav Head is firming as favourite to open the batting’, and I’m like ‘that’s the first time I’ve ever heard of that’, that’s hilarious,” Cummins said.

I share my view on who Australia’s next opener should be. Watch below and subscribe to the CricBlog TV YouTube channel! Thanks guys.

Reactions to Washington Sundar 7/59: Offspinner justifies selection in perfect fashion

Charbel Coorey
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Reactions to Washington Sundar 7/59: Offspinner justifies selection in perfect fashion

Washington Sundar has justified his selection in the second Test against New Zealand, taking 7/59 on day one at Pune. He became the first Indian bowler to take a five-wicket haul on this ground in Tests.

Before the start of play, there was quite a bit of criticism towards the Indian team management as to why Washington was picked when Kuldeep Yadav provides a point of difference. Axar Patel, who has batted so well down the order in recent years, was also an option.

However, the hosts opted for Sundar, who then had the ball on a string to spark a New Zealand collapse from 197/3 to 259. It was a beautiful display of offspin bowling, bamboozling the Black Caps batsmen with both deliveries that spun and went straight on. He dismissed the talented Rachin Ravindra with a peach that beat his outside edge, and then beat the inside edges of right-handers Tom Blundell and Daryl Mitchell.

Sundar completed his haul by dismissing Glenn Phillips, Tim Southee, Mitchell Santner and Ajaz Patel. In fact, Sundar took the remaining seven wickets to fall after R Ashwin took the first three in a day to remember for the offspinners.

Washington Sundar takes 7/59: Decision to play all-rounder pays off early

Washington Sundar’s first Test in over three years could not have gone any better. He not only had great revs on the ball, but his control was immaculate, bringing both the inside and outside edges into play.

Here are some of the reactions in praise for both Washington Sundar and the Indian team management following his figures of 7/59.

India lost Rohit Sharma for a duck early in the reply, courtesy of a Tim Southee peach. The Kiwi spinners had the ball turning late on day one, so a first innings lead will be vital for India.

Rawalpindi pitch report for 3rd ENG vs PAK Test

Charbel Coorey
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Rawalpindi pitch report for 3rd ENG vs PAK Test

The Rawalpindi pitch is in the spotlight ahead of the deciding third Test between Pakistan and England. Photos emerged on social media of industrial-sized fans and heaters being used to dry out the surface in an attempt to get the pitch spinning as early as possible. However, it looks to be a belter of a batting pitch.

Pakistan are aiming to produce another turning pitch after winning the second Test courtesy of Sajid Khan and Noman Ali, who took all 20 England wickets. By days three and four, the surface was spinning sharply, and England’s approach of all-out attack did not work.

Rawalpindi pitch report: How quickly will the surface take spin?

How soon the surface will take spin is the big question. Rawalpindi is known for being a batting paradise, holding the record for the fewest wickets taken in a completed Test back in 2022. In the same year, England pulled off an incredible win late on day five on another very flat surface.

Also, Pakistan scored 448/6 and Bangladesh ammassed 565 in the first Test of their series in August 2024, but the surface for the second Test had more in it for the seamers.

However, the pitch for the third Test between Pakistan and England is likely to have no help for the quick bowlers. It is dry and extremely barren of grass. Their only hope is for reverse swing, but even that is not enough for England who have opted to go in with three specialist spinners in Jack Leach, Shoaib Bashir and legspinner Rehan Ahmed.

The toss could hold significant bearing on the result. Both Shan Masood and Ben Stokes will be hoping the coin lands in their favour. The pitch looks to be a belter for batting upfront and has the potential to wear out by day three given its dry nature, which makes batting last a scenario to avoid.

However, a big score batting second is possible as Rawalpindi often doesn’t wear out too quickly.

England fans online are unimpressed with the pitch preparation, especially after the same Multan surface was used for nine days of cricket across two Tests.

Pakistan are seeking a first series win since beating Sri Lanka away in July 2023. Their last series win at home was their 2-0 triumph against South Africa in January and February 2021.

England are aiming for the second-straight series win in Pakistan after their 3-0 triumph in 2022.

Batting headaches continue for Australia ahead of the Border Gavaskar Trophy

Charbel Coorey
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Batting headaches continue for Australia ahead of the Border Gavaskar Trophy

Australia’s batting headaches have grown after the latest day of Sheffield Shield action. It is still not clear who partners Usman Khawaja at the top, with a host of leading candidates registering low scores.

After a pair in the opening game of the season, Cameron Bancroft scored eight in the first innings against Tasmania. Matt Renshaw’s lean start to the campaign continued with two against South Australia. Marcus Harris was dismissed twice by Mitchell Starc at the MCG, making scores of 26 and 16.

19-year-old Sam Konstas, who became the youngest since Ricky Ponting to hit two centuries in a Sheffield Shield match, was also dismissed cheaply (2) after being worked over by the experienced Scott Boland on a seaming MCG pitch. However, Konstas was hard done by with the LBW decision against him, with the ball heading well down the legside.

But, his innings showed he has learning to do, which is completely understandable as a young player.

Usman Khawaja (0), Steve Smith (3), Mitch Marsh (9), and Marnus Labuschagne (22) all had a quiet first innings in their respective outings of round two of the Sheffield Shield. Alex Carey is the in-form player in the Australian lineup, with scores of 90, 111, and 42 to start the season.

In addition to low returns from the openers, other hopefuls left runs out on the field. Beau Webster was dismissed for three, Aaron Hardie scored 12 and Nathan McSweeney struck 37, although the South Australia captain has enjoyed an excellent start to the season.

Batting headaches for Australia: What will the starting XI look like for the Border Gavaskar Trophy?

Cameron Green’s serious back injury and Steve Smith moving back to number four has opened up a spot in the Australian XI. There is the option of bringing in an all-rounder in the middle, but a specialist opener is likely to be Australia’s go-to strategy.

Given the batting worries at the moment, the selectors will need more time to make their call. Australia A, where Harris, Bancroft and Konstas are selected, will play India A in two four-day games starting October 31. Much could depend on how those games fare.

Going off runs, Harris is the leader among the experienced opening options. He struck a century and half-century in the opening round of the Sheffield Shield. If he slots in, Australia will call on Mitch Marsh to bowl more overs to support the four specialists. According to head of selectors George Bailey, Australia are managing Marsh to ensure he will bowl in the Border Gavaskar Trophy.

Australia are aiming to win a series against India for the first time since their 2-0 triumph in 2014/15. India have won the past four, including two straight down under.

Players MI should retain for IPL 2025

Robin Rounder
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Players MI should retain for IPL 2025

Mumbai Indians (MI) are the most successful side in Indian Premier League (IPL) history alongside CSK with five titles to their name. But MI has failed to win a title since 2020, qualifying for the playoffs just once in this period (2023).

A lot happened in the MI setup in the last edition of the IPL. All-rounder Hardik Pandya, after a successful two years as captain of Gujarat Titans, came back to MI as captain.

Hardik replaced Rohit Sharma, who had won five titles for the Mumbai franchise in the past. Things didn’t look good in the MI camp last year. Rohit Sharma looked visibly frustrated and unhappy, and MI finished at the bottom of the points table. Rumours were that Rohit may not continue playing for MI from IPL 2025.

After all this, now’s time for IPL 2025. Teams need to submit their retentions for the next season by 31st October and there are many match-winners in the MI squad and it’ll be interesting to see who they retain ahead of the mega auction.

IPL 2025 Retention Rules

Teams can retain up to six players through direct retentions or using the Right to Match (RTM). There is no limit for the retentions of overseas players but teams can retain a maximum of two uncapped players. Any Indian player who last played in international cricket 5+ years ago and has no central contract from the BCCI can be retained as an “uncapped player”.

RTMs will depend on the number of retentions (6 – No. of Players Retained). The salary caps for the retained players are:

  • 1st Retention: 18 Crores
  • 2nd Retention: 14 Crores
  • 3rd Retention: 11 Crores
  • 4th Retention: 18 Crores
  • 5th Retention: 14 Crores
  • Uncapped Player: 4 Crores

Despite this, teams are allowed to divide up to INR 75 crores in any way they wish to retain 5 players. So teams will have to be cautious while retaining the 4th & 5th players as releasing them now and buying them back using the RTM may be a better deal as there aren’t many players who will fetch more than the amount they’ll be retained for.

Who MI may retain in IPL 2025: Big names staying or not?

After Rohit Sharma announced his retirement from T20Is, Suryakumar Yadav was appointed as India’s skipper in the shortest format. Then we had some rumours that Surya may also leave the Mumbai Indians as other franchises are offering captaincy.

We don’t know for sure if these rumours are true and whether or not the likes of Rohit and Surya will continue playing for MI. Ideally, no franchise will leave such match winners. We’ll list down MI’s possible retentions keeping all the rumours aside.

Jasprit Bumrah

Jasprit Bumrah is currently the best pacer in world cricket. He is a proper match-winner in all three formats of the game and there is absolutely no doubts that the Mumbai Indians will retain the Indian speedster for IPL 2025 and beyond.

Bumrah is an integral part of the MI setup and a consistent performer. His IPL economy has always been under 8 since 2016 which is a phenomenal feat for any bowler. He has picked up 20 or more wickets in three of the last four seasons, and is a go-option in pressure situations.

Suryakumar Yadav

Suryakumar Yadav is arguably the best T20 batter in the world. He plays some unusual shots all around the ground and is capable of winning games on his own. Surya is another player MI wouldn’t let go of. He started his IPL career at MI back in 2011 but then moved to KKR in 2014 before coming back to Mumbai in 2018.

Surya has scored 950 runs in the last two editions of the IPL at an average of 39.60 and whopping strike rate of 175.90 including eight fifties and two centuries.

Rohit Sharma

Rohit Sharma was the face of the franchise over the years. He won five titles for MI under his captaincy since 2013. He’s one of the all-time leading run-scorers in the IPL. However, his numbers in the tournament weren’t as good as his talent warrants; his strike rate never went over 135 and the average was under 30 from IPL 2017 to 2023.

Last year, Rohit scored 417 runs in 14 innings at an average of 32.10 at a strike rate of 150 including one fifty and a century. It is unlikely that Rohit will lead MI at least for the next season but MI will also want him to stay. It is up to the franchise to settle things with him, and he can be the third retention.

Hardik Pandya

Hardik Pandya had an average season with the bat and a forgettable first season as the captain of the Mumbai Indians. But despite everything, he’s expected to lead the franchise at least in IPL 2025. Hardik is a match-winner with both bat and ball and no team would want to let go of an all-rounder of such calibre.

Recently we’ve seen Hardik return to his destructive best with the bat and he has been performing well with the ball. He played a key role in India’s T20 World Cup triumph against South Africa this year. Hardik will be retained by MI for IPL 2025 and beyond.

Now these four retentions should be a no-brainer for MI if players like Suryakumar Yadav and Rohit Sharma decide to stay. With the fifth retention, MI have options in Ishan Kishan and Tilak Varma. Uncapped players like Nehal Wadhera, Akash Madhwal, Naman Dhir and Anshul Kamboj are also there. They may retain one of the uncapped players but it looks unlikely as of now.

I feel MI should retain only four players: Bumrah, Surya, Rohit and Hardik and go into the auction with 2 RTMs one of which can be used only for uncapped players. The likes of Ishan Kishan or Tilak Varma are tempting options and MI may even go for them but I feel they can get them for cheaper or at the retention price in the auction.

There were many loopholes in the MI squad in the past few years; consistency with the opening duo, quality in batting depth and pace department except Bumrah being the biggest issue for them. It’s a great opportunity for them to build a strong squad around their retained players. MI management will look to do just that and lift their sixth title in IPL 2025.

Players SRH should retain for IPL 2025

Robin Rounder
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Players SRH should retain for IPL 2025

Sunrisers Hyderabad were the runners-up of IPL 2024. They had the most explosive batting unit in the tournament and it reflected clearly in their performance.

The deadly opening duo of Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma showed a completely different approach of batting; attacking from the first ball and not relenting. SRH scored 100 runs in just five overs in one of their games against the Delhi Capitals.

Not only this, Sunrisers now have the highest-ever score by a team in the IPL when they scored 287/3 against RCB. The second and fourth-highest team totals belong to SRH as well: 277/3 (against MI) and 266/7 (against DC) respectively and that too in the last season only.

The batting unit of Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, Rahul Tripathi, Nitish Reddy and Heinrich Klaasen broke many records in IPL 2024 but they still failed to win the title as KKR defeated them in the final to lift their 3rd IPL title. Now, it’s a big challenge for SRH as they had a very settled squad, and it’s going to be very difficult for them to decide which players they want to retain for IPL 2025.

Before talking about that, let’s first understand the retention rules for IPL 2025.

IPL 2025 Retention Rules

Teams can retain up to 6 Players through direct retentions or using the Right to Match (RTM). There is no limit for the retentions of overseas players but teams can retain a maximum of two uncapped players. Any Indian player who last played in International cricket 5+ years ago and has no central contract from the BCCI can be retained as an “uncapped player”.

RTMs will depend on the number of retentions (6 – No. of Players Retained). The salary caps for the retained players are:

  • 1st Retention: 18 Crores
  • 2nd Retention: 14 Crores
  • 3rd Retention: 11 Crores
  • 4th Retention: 18 Crores
  • 5th Retention: 14 Crores
  • Uncapped Player: 4 Crores

So teams will have to be cautious while retaining the 4th & 5th players as releasing them now and buying them back using the RTM may be a better deal as there aren’t many players who will fetch more than the amount they’ll be retained for.

Who SRH could retain for IPL 2025: Whom to Retain, Whom to Leave?

Travis Head

Travis Head has been in exceptional form across formats across the last 12-18 months. He’s been the most consistent batter and has performed everywhere he has played in recent times. Head scored 567 runs in 15 innings in IPL 2024 at an average of 40.50 and a strike rate of 191.55 including four fifties and a century.

Head turned the table on its head from the first game he played last season. It’s a no-brainer that Sunrisers Hyderabad will retain him for IPL 2025. Head provides that X-Factor at the top and can single-handedly win games on his day.

Abhishek Sharma

Abhishek Sharma had a stellar season in IPL 2024. He scored 484 runs in 16 innings at an average of 32.26 and an unbelievable strike rate of 204.21. He scored two fifties and hit 42 sixes and 36 fours in 16 games.

Abhishek is a useful left-arm orthodox bowler as well. He is young, bats very positively and there’s no way SRH will even think about letting him go in any condition. Abhishek Sharma will play for SRH in IPL 2025.

Nitish Kumar Reddy

IPL 2024 was when Nitish Reddy showed his class with the bat. Earlier he was with CSK as a net bowler. He then turned things around and scored 303 runs in 11 innings at an average of 33.66 and struck at 142.92 including a couple of fifties. He also picked up three wickets.

Nitish Reddy has now made his debut for India in T20Is and can’t be retained as an uncapped player now. A young domestic player who is excellent with the bat, can give 2-3 overs in any game, and is electric in the field is very rare and he’ll easily fetch at least 11 crores in the upcoming auction, if not more. I feel SRH should retain Nitish Kumar Reddy for 11 crores as their third retention.

Abdul Samad (Uncapped)

Abdul Samad has played only 39 innings in the IPL since his debut back in 2020. He’s an exciting prospect but we’ve seen only glimpses of what he can do with the bat.

He scored 182 runs in 12 innings in IPL 2024 (AVG: 18.2, SR: 168.50). Samad had a good season in 2023 where he scored 169 runs in 8 innings at an average of 42.20 at a strike rate of 132.

He likes to bat aggressively and can be a great option for SRH if he gets enough game time. Samad can also bowl part-time leg spin. He will be a good pick for 4 crores as he’s 22 years old and has been with SRH for five years.

4th and 5th Retentions Possible for SRH?

Now comes the tricky part for SRH. They have their skipper Pat Cummins who did a great job leading the side and then they have Heinrich Klaasen who’s one of the most destructive batters in the middle order. Both played vital roles in SRH’s success last year and are proven match-winners.

But the big question is are they worth retaining for 18 crores and 14 crores? If they decide to retain both it’ll cost them a big chunk of their purse which the SRH management would like to avoid going into a mega auction.

Pat Cummins (RTM)

SRH bought Pat Cummins for 20.50 crores for IPL 2024. He did a great job as the captain of the side but I feel the Sunrisers can get him back for less than that from the auction using RTM. T20 is not the best format for Pat Cummins and last season was his best one in the IPL: 18 wickets in 16 games at an economy of 9.28. He’s handy with the bat as well.

Cummins led the side to the finals after a few bad performances for the franchise in the past three years and SRH will look to have him as the skipper for IPL 2025. There are high chances that SRH will not let him go to the auction in the first place but I feel buying him back using the RTM will be the better option.

Heinrich Klaasen (RTM)

No one will expect that we’ll be talking about buying back Heinrich Klaasen using the RTM option instead of retaining him but such is the nature of the auction. Klaasen is among the best spin hitters and destructive batters in world cricket. He scored 479 runs in 15 matches at an average of 39.90 striking at 171.10 including four 50+ scores in IPL 2024.

Klaasen would be amongst the retentions in most of the other sides with the likes of Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head and Nitish Kumar Reddy already there, it’s not affordable for SRH to retain Klaasen. But they can always get him back using the RTM and there’s no doubt that SRH will do that.

Apart from Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, Nitish Kumar Reddy with Abdul Samad as the uncapped player and Pat Cummins and Heinrich Klaasen as the RTM buys, there aren’t any players in the SRH squad who are worth retaining ahead of the mega auction.

Ideally, they’d like to retain all five of Head, Abhishek, Nitish, Cummins and Klaasen but as mentioned earlier, it’ll take a big chunk of their purse and since it’s the mega auction and SRH will have to build a whole new squad, it’s not feasible to retain all names mentioned here.

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