Aakash Chopra Analyzes Rajasthan Royals Retentions Ahead of IPL 2025

Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra has expressed skepticism over the potential valuation of Riyan Parag in the IPL 2025 mega auction, noting that he might not reach a retention value of Rs 18 crores. According to Chopra, Rajasthan Royals, despite valuing young talent like Parag, may not list him among their top three retentions.

In the IPL 2024 season, the Rajasthan Royals managed to qualify for the playoffs but were ultimately defeated by Sunrisers Hyderabad in Qualifier 2, after overcoming Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Eliminator. Riyan Parag played a key role by being the highest run-scorer for the team, accumulating 573 runs in 14 matches with a batting average of 52.

Chopra highlighted that Rajasthan’s focus might instead be on retaining key players such as their current skipper Sanju Samson, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Jos Buttler. While discussing the team’s retention strategy on his YouTube channel, Chopra stated, “Their top three retentions should be Jos Buttler, Sanju Samson, and Yashasvi Jaiswal. You can arrange them in any order, as leaving out any will drive their auction price to 14 to 15 crores.”

Chopra explained that retaining these three batters places the team in a strong position given that two are Indian players, fulfilling a strategic advantage in the squad composition. He suggested that while Rajasthan might wish to keep Riyan Parag, retaining him for 18 crores would not be prudent. Alternatively, Chopra proposed that Rajasthan Royals could retain Samson and Buttler for Rs 18 crores each, Jaiswal for Rs 14 crores, and potentially Parag for Rs 11 crores.

Moreover, Chopra recommended using retention tactics like the Right to Match (RTM) cards to keep players such as Riyan and Yuzvendra Chahal. He mentioned Sandeep Sharma, a promising uncapped player, could be retained at four crores. However, this would likely see wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel released before attempting to reacquire him in the auction. Chopra emphasized the potential of Jurel, describing him as a “gun player,” yet acknowledging that his batting order placement has limited his exposure.