RCB to release Maxwell; Kohli and Siraj likely retentions
The Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) are reportedly mulling over not retaining Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell for the next Indian Premier League (IPL) season. Maxwell had a disappointing 2024 season, scoring only 129 runs in 10 matches and taking just six wickets. As per Hindustan Times, Virat Kohli and Mohammed Siraj are the sure-shot retentions of the franchise. Here are further details.
RCB's retention strategy and player injuries
RCB had initially planned to retain Australian all-rounder Cameron Green, but his recent injury has complicated the decision. Cricket Australia has confirmed that Green will be sidelined from the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy and will miss six months of cricket action. He is expected to recover by March 2025, leaving RCB with a tough call on whether to take a risk on his fitness or not.
BCCI's new retention rules for IPL franchises
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has also introduced new retention rules for the IPL franchises. Each team can now retain up to six players, including a maximum of five capped and two uncapped players. The cost of retention for each franchise is ₹18 crore for the first player, ₹14 crore for the second, and ₹11 crore for the third. The fourth and fifth players will cost ₹18 crore and ₹14 crore respectively.
IPL mega auction and RCB's potential picks
Meanwhile, the BCCI is gearing up for the IPL mega auction, likely to be held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The dates are likely to be November 24 and 25. This will coincide with the first Test between India and Australia in Perth. Speculation is rife that KL Rahul could return to RCB as he fits the profile of a top-order batter, captaincy candidate, and local player.
