IPL Retention Drama: Pant, Rahul, Iyer Take Center Stage
With only a week left until the IPL retention deadline, speculation is heating up around which players franchises will keep, release, or opt to use the Right to Match (RTM) card for. Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul, and Shreyas Iyer are the prominent names stirring up intrigue, with each player's situation presenting unique challenges for their respective franchises.
Pant’s Retention with Delhi Capitals
Rishabh Pant’s position with Delhi Capitals (DC) has been thrown into the spotlight, particularly after his recent social media post speculating on his market value if he went to auction. This post stirred up discussions within the DC management, co-owned by GMR Group and JSW Group, who are still inclined to retain Pant, despite his demands for changes in the coaching staff. Pant reportedly suggested adding a former Indian star as a mentor or head coach, but the GMR group had already selected Y Venugopal Rao and Hemang Badani for these roles, indicating they preferred a lower-profile coaching setup.
Discussions have also involved Pant’s varied performances across formats, with some friction reportedly over retention figures. However, DC remains focused on keeping Pant unless negotiations reach an unmanageable point.
Rahul’s Split with Lucknow Super Giants
KL Rahul’s journey with Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) seems close to an end, as LSG management, led by Zaheer Khan and Justin Langer, has expressed concerns over Rahul’s strike rate, batting position, and form. Rahul had advocated for a middle-order role but continued opening due to team composition, a setup he struggled with, affecting his performance and leading to a mutually agreeable split.
Instead, LSG is eyeing retentions for players like Nicholas Pooran, Ravi Bishnoi, and uncapped talents such as Mohsin Khan and Ayush Badoni, with the RTM card unlikely to be used for Rahul.
Iyer’s Situation with KKR
Shreyas Iyer’s case with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) is complex. Although KKR values Iyer’s leadership and performance, management faces tough choices given a cap of five retainable players. With high-performing players like Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, and Rinku Singh in the mix, KKR’s retention strategy is under scrutiny.
Additionally, Shah Rukh Khan, representing KKR at a BCCI meeting, advocated for the RTM approach over retentions, possibly hinting at the franchise’s strategy for keeping key players within this framework.
