Last Updated:
As many as four players who served as captains in IPL 2024 were not retained by their respective franchises ahead of IPL 2025 mega auctions.
4 IPL 2024 captains released by their franchises ahead of mega auctions. (Picture Credit: Sportzpics)
All 10 IPL teams released their list of retained players ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auctions on Thursday (October 31). Many top players were retained by their respective franchises, but quite a few stars opted against retention and are now set to enter the mega auctions, which are expected to take place in the last week of November 2024.
Here’s a look at four IPL 2024 captains that were released by their franchises:
Shreyas Iyer (KKR): Shreyas Iyer led Kolkata Knight Riders to an IPL title win in 2024. Under his leadership, the Kolkata-based franchise topped the IPL 2024 points table and then defeated Sunrisers Hyderabad in Qualifier 1 and final match to clinch the title. But despite having a successful run under Iyer’s captaincy, the right-handed batter was not retained by the franchise, and in IPL 2025 mega auctions, he will search for a new team.
Rishabh Pant (DC): Indian wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant was re-appointed as DC’s captain for IPL 2024 after he missed out the 2023 season due to multiple injuries suffered in a road accident. Pant, who is DC’s most capped player and all-time leading run scorer in IPL history, topped the run scorers list for the franchise in the 2024 season, but even after that, he was released and is now set to be part of the mega auction for the first time in his career.
KL Rahul (LSG): KL Rahul served as LSG captain in IPL 2024 and topped the run scorers list as well for the franchise, but despite that, he was not retained by the Lucknow-based franchise and will now enter the IPL 2025 mega auctions. Apart from LSG, Rahul has also served as Punjab Kings captain in the past.
Faf du Plessis (RCB): Former South African cricketer Faf du Plessis served as captain of RCB in the last three editions of IPL after joining them for Rs 7 crore in 2022 mega auctions. Under his leadership, RCB twice managed to qualify for the playoffs, and he impressed with his performances with the bat as well, but due to his age (40 years), RCB decided against retaining him.
In addition to the above-discussed four players, the Punjab Kings also had to release their captain, Shikhar Dhawan, but unlike Iyer, Pant, KL, and Faf, Dhawan has retired from professional cricket and thus was not eligible.
