Klaasen retained at record 23 crores; IPL teams made big changes for 2025 | See List

Heinrich Klaasen has emerged as the most expensive player in the IPL 2025 retention list, surpassing the likes of Virat Kohli with a record ₹23 crore deal from Sunrisers Hyderabad. The South African wicketkeeper-batsman clinched the top spot, with his value highlighting the increasing demand for versatile and explosive T20 players in the IPL.

Following Klaasen, other high-profile retentions included Virat Kohli, retained by Royal Challengers Bengaluru for ₹21 crore, and Nicholas Pooran, kept by Lucknow Super Giants for an identical ₹21 crore. Meanwhile, Jasprit Bumrah and Suryakumar Yadav, Mumbai Indians' star players, were retained for ₹18 crore each, reflecting the team’s commitment to bolstering their core lineup.

Sunrisers Hyderabad, in particular, made big moves with significant retentions, including Australian all-rounder Pat Cummins at ₹18 crore, all-rounder Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head both at ₹14 crore. The hefty spending aligns with Hyderabad’s approach to securing seasoned players who bring skill and experience.

Mumbai Indians continued to invest heavily in Indian talents. Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya were retained at ₹16.35 crore each, closely followed by skipper Rohit Sharma at ₹16.30 crore. In addition, the young Tilak Varma was retained for ₹8 crore, signaling the team’s focus on maintaining a blend of youth and experience.

Here’s a closer look at the IPL 2025 retention list across teams:

Mumbai Indians:

• Jasprit Bumrah (₹18 crore)
• Suryakumar Yadav (₹16.35 crore)
• Hardik Pandya (₹16.35 crore)
• Rohit Sharma (₹16.30 crore)
• Tilak Varma (₹8 crore)

Sunrisers Hyderabad:

• Heinrich Klaasen (₹23 crore)
• Pat Cummins (₹18 crore)
• Abhishek Sharma (₹14 crore)
• Travis Head (₹14 crore)
• Nitish Kumar Reddy (₹6 crore)

Lucknow Super Giants:

• Nicholas Pooran (₹21 crore)
• Ravi Bishnoi (₹11 crore)
• Mayank Yadav (₹11 crore)
• Mohsin Khan (₹4 crore)
• Ayush Badoni (₹4 crore)

Punjab Kings:

• Shashank Singh (₹5.5 crore)
• Prabhsimran Singh (₹4 crore)

Rajasthan Royals:

• Sanju Samson (₹18 crore)
• Yashasvi Jaiswal (₹18 crore)
• Riyan Parag (₹14 crore)
• Dhruv Jurel (₹14 crore)
• Shimron Hetmyer (₹11 crore)
• Sandeep Sharma (₹4 crore)

Chennai Super Kings:

• Ruturaj Gaikwad (₹18 crore)
• Matheesha Pathirana (₹13 crore)
• Shivam Dube (₹12 crore)
• Ravindra Jadeja (₹18 crore)
• MS Dhoni (₹4 crore)

Royal Challengers Bengaluru:

• Virat Kohli (₹21 crore)
• Rajat Patidar (₹11 crore)
• Yash Dayal (₹5 crore)

Kolkata Knight Riders:

• Rinku Singh (₹13 crore)
• Varun Chakravarthy (₹12 crore)
• Sunil Narine (₹12 crore)
• Andre Russell (₹12 crore)
• Harshit Rana (₹4 crore)
• Ramandeep Singh (₹4 crore)

Delhi Capitals:

• Axar Patel (₹16.50 crore)
• Kuldeep Yadav (₹13.25 crore)
• Tristan Stubbs (₹10 crore)
• Abishek Porel (₹4 crore)

Gujarat Titans:

• Rashid Khan (₹18 crore)
• Shubman Gill (₹16.50 crore)
• Sai Sudharsan (₹8.50 crore)
• Rahul Tewatia (₹4 crore)
• Shahrukh Khan (₹4 crore)

With this retention, the IPL 2025 is set to showcase not only record-breaking talent but also intensified competition among teams banking on proven performers and budding stars to lead them to victory.