Former India player turned veteran commentator Aakash Chopra added that Virat Kohli should be the Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) first retention ahead of the IPL 2025 auction. He also feels that Kohli might be willing to take back the captaincy role next season as well. However, RCB reached the playoffs in IPL 2024 brilliantly but were knocked out by the Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the Eliminator as well. Kohli was the Orange Cap winner in the recently concluded season with 741 runs at a strike rate of 154.69 in 15 innings as well.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra said, “One guy to retain is Virat Kohli. Of course, he comes as the first retention and you need to keep Virat Kohli with you, both Bengaluru and Kohli believe that. So I am seeing another three-year retention. For all we know, Virat Kohli might want to be the leader again, or else you have to go shopping for a leader.”

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However, he doesn’t see the Bengaluru-based franchise retaining Faf du Plessis, Glenn Maxwell, Alzarri Joseph and Lockie Ferguson as well. With 438 runs at a strike rate of 161.62 in 15 innings, Faf du Plessis was RCB’s second-highest run-getter in IPL 2024 as well. Maxwell had a poor run this season, scoring 52 runs at a dismal average of 5.78 in nine innings. Meanwhile, Ferguson picked up nine wickets at an economy rate of 10.62 in seven innings this season as well.

“I feel Faf du Plessis might not be on the retention list for the simple reason that you are looking at a three-year future and Faf is not getting younger by the day. It’s a pivotal moment where you have to decide between immediate future and long-term gain,” Chopra explained. “So Faf might be released there. I don’t think they would want to retain Glenn Maxwell at all. They will say tata bye-bye. Alzarri Joseph, Lockie Ferguson – tata bye-bye to everyone,” he further added.

“One more player they might want to retain is Cameron Green because they might be able to build their team around Cameron Green, and Cameron Green is the kind of all-rounder that if he goes into the auction, he will take 14-15 crores. Although they couldn’t get him to bat where he should have, he is a bowler and batter and hits decently,” Aakash Chopra concluded. “Think about Rajat Patidar, whether you want to retain him. If he goes into the auction, he will also go for five to six crores. Yash Dayal, Mohammed Siraj – maybe Mohammed Siraj and that’s about it. I don’t think this team needs to retain anyone apart from them. Three or four max, they would neither want to retain more people than that nor use the ‘Right to Match’ card for them.”