IPL Retentions: Gujarat Titans set to keep Shubman and Rashid, Shami snubbed

Gujarat Titans are likely to retain Shubman Gill Rashid Khan and Sai Sudharsan ahead of the the 2025 mega-auction. GT might not retain Mohammed Shami, who has been one of their key members.

In Short

• Gujarat Titans might retain only 3 players
• GT are thinking about snubbing Mohammed Shami
• GT are expected to retain Shubman Gill

Gujarat Titans are set to retain their captain Shubman Gill alongside star spinner Rashid Khan and left-handed batter Sai Sudharsan ahead of the IPL mega auction. Uncapped hitters Rahul Tewatia and Shahrukh Khan are also expected to be retained by the franchise. An IPL source confirmed, "Shubman, Rashid, and Sai will be retained by the franchise."

Gill, regarded as a future leader in the Indian cricket setup, captained the Titans for the first time earlier this year when the team finished eighth out of ten. The Titans had a successful debut in the IPL, winning the tournament in 2022 before finishing as runners-up the following year, both under Hardik Pandya's leadership.

The decision to retain Rashid Khan aligns with expectations. The 26-year-old took 19 wickets in his maiden season with the team in 2022 and followed that up with 27 wickets the next season. However, his performance dipped this year, with just 10 wickets in 12 games at an average of 36.70. Sudharsan is also set to be retained ahead of the October 31 deadline after a breakout year in which he scored 527 runs in 12 games, including a century. The young batter has already made appearances in three ODIs and one T20 for the national team.

IPL Retention Buzz: Live Updates

Uncapped player Shahrukh Khan impressed with a strike rate of 169.33 and is considered a bargain at Rs 4 crore for the franchise. Veteran Tewatia, who has played nearly 100 games in the IPL, is another player the Titans are likely to keep, having batted with a strike rate above 145 last season.

The mega auction is expected to be held overseas in the last week of November. The auction purse has been increased to Rs 120 crore, up from Rs 100 crore last year. This total salary cap now includes the auction purse, incremental performance pay, and match fees, with the match fee set at Rs 7.5 lakh per game for the upcoming season. Teams can retain up to six players, either through retention or right to match, which is the highest limit in IPL history.