IPL 2018 player retention: Dhoni reunites with CSK, Kohli and Rohit retained

Mumbai: With Thursday being the last deadline of the Indian Premier League (IPL) retention process, teams have finally opted to retain a few key players for the upcoming edition.

Here are the players that have been retained by IPL teams - 

Delhi Daredevils have decided to retain Chris Morris, Rishabh Pant and Shreyas Iyer.

For the upcoming edition, Ricky Ponting will take over from Paddy Upton as Delhi Daredevils coach. DD CEO Hemant Dua is happy with the selection. 

Kings XI Punjab have retained just one player - Axar Patel. Rajasthan Royals have also welcomed back Steve Smith, who captained Rising Pune Supergiant during their two-year absence.

Kolkata Knight Riders have retained only two players, both overseas from West Indies - Andre Russell and Sunil Narine.

With the list of IPL player retentions finalised, here is the number of RTM options available to teams in the auctions during February 2017:

Sunrisers Hyderabad, Rajasthan Royals, Kings XI Punjab and Kolkata Knight Riders - 3

Mumbai Indians, Delhi Daredevils, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Chennai Super Kings - 2

Here's how much money teams now have in their purse heading to next month's IPL auctions:

(Photo: Screengrab)

MI and CSK cannot use their RTM cards for a capped Indian player, while KKR cannot use the same for overseas players in the auctions having exhausted their quota of two. RCB and DD, who have retained two Indians and one foreign player respectively have two RTMs which can be used to rope in one Indian and one overseas player.

Preview:

Team India skipper Virat Kohli and his predecessor Mahendra Singh Dhoni will be the cynosure of all eyes as the 2018 Indian Premier League (IPL) retention kicks off on Thursday.

Before all the focus shifts to the IPL auctions in February, IPL teams have to disclose the names of players they wish to retain. Once the process is finalised by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), many big names will be eligible to go under the hammer.

Options are available for the franchises. Each team can opt for up to five players by virtue of a combination of Player Retention (Pre Player Auction) and Right
to Match (RTM) (during the Player Auction), as discussed in the IPL Governing Council (GC) meet previously.

A maximum of either three retentions or three RTMs can be exercised by teams. However, teams also have to follow particular rules relating to the retentions. A maximum number of 3 capped Indian players, 2 overseas players and 2 uncapped Indian players each can be retained by teams.

Rajasthan Royals (RR) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK), who are making way for Gujarat Lions (GL) and Rising Pune Supergiant (RPS) after a two-year spot-fixing ban are also eligible to make retentions for players who played for them respectively in IPL 2015 and who were part of Rising Pune Supergiant and GL squads in IPL 2017, as per the rules.

The salary purse for teams is also extended. The allotted budget for each team is fixed at Rs 80 crore that will increase to Rs 85 crores by 2020. Teams have to shell out, at least a minimum of 75 percent from their salary cap.  Player retention prices have also been fixed this time that will be deducted from the purse. Rs 33 crore (for 3 players pre-auction), Rs 21 crore (for 2 players pre-auction) and Rs 12.5 crore (for 1 player retained preauction).

An IPL team must comprise a minimum of 18 players with the maximum count exceeding to 25, that should include no more than 8 overseas players.