Rajasthan Royals head coach Rahul Dravid shared insights into the team’s strategy behind retaining six key players ahead of the upcoming mega auction. Dravid emphasized that retaining a core group provides stability, which can be crucial in a long tournament like the IPL. Rajasthan Royals and Kolkata Knight Riders are the only teams to have used their maximum retention spots, aiming to maintain a strong foundation for the next season.
The Royals have kept Sanju Samson, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel, Shimron Hetmyer, and Sandeep Sharma for a total of ₹79 crore, leaving ₹41 crore for the auction.
“Stability is essential when you retain players,” Rahul Dravid said on JioCinema. “We could only retain six, but if we had the option, we would’ve retained even more. We strongly believe these players are worth it. Retaining a set core means we have solid foundations in some areas and can focus on filling gaps in the auction.”
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Since their inception, the Royals have reached the IPL final twice—winning the first season in 2008 and narrowly missing the trophy in 2022 after a loss to Gujarat Titans. Dravid expressed the team’s ambition to claim another title in the upcoming season.
“It’s been years since Rajasthan has lifted the trophy. Naturally, the goal is to win, though we recognize the IPL has become highly competitive,” he remarked. The Royals are keen to reacquire players like Yuzvendra Chahal, Jos Buttler, and Trent Boult. However, with no Right to Match (RTM) cards available, they anticipate fierce bidding from other franchises.
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Rahul Dravid noted that the changing RTM rules will add a new layer of complexity to this auction cycle. “Auction planning requires preparation, but flexibility is key. We’ve established a strong base with our retained players, and now we’ll look to build around this core and assemble a winning squad,” Rahul Dravid explained.
