PBKS can bring back up to four capped players and have a large purse, while SRH can only right-to-match an uncapped Indian player
Varun Shetty14-Nov-20246:27
What is Ponting’s biggest challenge at Punjab Kings?
What is the right-to-match (RTM) rule?: Ahead of the IPL 2025 auction, each team was allowed to retain up to six players, with a maximum of five capped players and a maximum of two uncapped Indian players. For the eight teams that did not use all of their six retentions, they can now use right-to-match options on players from their 2024 squads to fill up the remaining slots. The limits of five capped and two uncapped players still apply, so teams that retained five capped players can use their RTM option on only one uncapped Indian player. And if a team retained two uncapped players, they can use their RTM options on only capped players. If a team uses a RTM option on one of their former players at the auction, the last bidder will be allowed to raise the bid one final time, and the choice of whether to continue with the right-to-match option and match the bid then lies with the team using the RTM option.
Punjab KingsPlayers retained: Shashank Singh, Prabhsimran Singh
Purse remaining: INR 110.5 crore
Right-to-match option: 4 (capped players)
Punjab Kings retained two uncapped players, Shashank Singh and Prabhsimran Singh, and go into the auction with the largest remaining purse. They can strategically buy back some key players who fit the vision Ricky Ponting has for the franchise. Among the options available for PBKS are: Arshdeep Singh, Jitesh Sharma, Rahul Chahar, Harshal Patel, Liam Livingstone, Sam Curran, Kagiso Rabada and Jonny Bairstow.Arshdeep was the one player PBKS may have considered as an INR 18-rcore retention. Now that he is in the auction, he will likely be in high demand, but PBKS have the purse to buy him back via the right-to-match option.Jitesh, Rahul Chahar and Harshal were not quite high profile enough to be retained but are likely candidates for the right-to-match option if their price is right. Jitesh struggled in IPL 2024, losing his place in the India side, but built his reputation as a formidable finisher in the two seasons before that. Harshal, a purple cap winner with RCB in 2021, was bought by PBKS in the 2024 auction and took 24 wickets for them last season. Chahar has been at the franchise since 2022 and taken 32 wickets for them.PBKS may also target some of the England players who formed the core of their overseas contingent in the last cycle. Livingstone made an impact in 2023 with a strike rate of 160 before a dull 2024 season where he made 111 runs in seven innings. He is one of the world’s foremost T20 batters, though, and can bowl both off and legspin. Sam Curran also had an ordinary 2024 season but said PBKS did contact him before announcing their retentions and that he could return there at the auction. Bairstow’s IPL form has cooled off after an impressive 2019 season.Another overseas option is Rabada, who has been a central figure in Punjab’s bowling lineup since 2022.Will Sunrisers Hyderabad persist with Abdul Samad for a sixth season?•BCCISunrisers HyderabadPlayers retained: Heinrich Klaasen, Pat Cummins, Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, Nitish Kumar Reddy
Purse remaining: INR 45 crore
Right-to-match option: 1 (uncapped)
Since Sunrisers Hyderabad have retained five players, they can use their last right-to-match option on one uncapped Indian player. They might pick between two finishers Abdul Samad and Sanvir Singh, or legspinner Mayank Markande, who qualifies as uncapped since his only T20I was more than five years ago.Sanvir has played six innings across two seasons for SRH, made 25 runs in total, and remained not-out three times. In his overall T20 career, he strikes at 187.05 after 20 innings.Only the backing given by Rajasthan Royals to Riyan Parag compares to the faith SRH have shown in Samad. Given his IPL returns – he made 182 runs in 16 innings last season – he will likely be available for much cheaper than his current contract of INR 4 crore and might be considered a bargain right-to-match option.The third option is Markande, who has six seasons of IPL experience now, but had an economy of nearly 12 an over in 2024.
