The retention rule states that teams can retain a total of 6 players from their existing squad. This can be either via retention or by using the Right to Match (RTM) card, meaning teams can also opt to release all their players and use the RTM at the IPL mega auction. The retention is also limited to a maximum of 5 capped players (either Indian or overseas), and a maximum of 2 uncapped players. The uncapped rule also has a new twist with an old rule returning after three years. The re-instated uncapped rule allows a capped Indian player to be considered uncapped, if he has not played in International Cricket or does not have a Central Contract with BCCI in the last five calendar years. This rule existed from 2008 to 2021 before being scrapped. Many teams could benefit from that rule, including Kolkata Knight Riders, who have a lot of planning to do as they were one of the teams that would have preferred to retain most of their title-winning squad from 2024. With so many tempting options, Knight Riders think-tank have a huge task at hand in the next few weeks. Three retentions could be the route they take again, but there is also a chance they may release everybody and use RTM cards at the auction. KKR has gone for a clean slate ahead of one of the previous mega auctions, but in all likelihood, the Kolkata-based side may retain the usual suspects. The deadline for teams to announce their retentions is on October 31, 2024. KKR's Likely Retentions For 2025

• Shreyas Iyer
• Andre Russell
• Rinku Singh

The Knight Riders have been part of every IPL edition since it's inception in 2008. They have also participated in the retention process ahead of every mega auction held so far in IPL history. The three-time champs have retained Narine in every season since his arrival to the league in 2012. However, that trend may end this year as KKR may look at buying back the former West Indies spinner using the RTM at the auction. A mega auction has been held in 2011, 2014, 2018 and most recently in 2022, editions in which teams have gone through big changes. Here is a look at list of players who KKR retained ahead of those mega auctions. KKR Retained Player List Before IPL 2011 Mega Auction Ahead of the first-ever IPL mega auction in 2011, Kolkata Knight Riders opted to build right from the scratch as they released the entire squad from the 2010 edition. At the auction, they went on to sign their most successful skipper Gautam Gambhir. KKR Retained Player List Before IPL 2014 Mega Auction In 2014, the Kolkata-based side opted to retain just two players from their 2013 squad with the retention of skipper Gambhir for Rs 12.50 Crore, and mystery spinner Narine for Rs 9 Crore. They also bought back Chris Lynn for Rs 1.6 Crore using the RTM card at the auction, which also saw them land Andre Russell. KKR Retained Player List Before IPL 2018 Mega Auction In 2018, KKR retained the Caribbean duo Narine and Russel. While Narine was retained for Rs 8.5 Crore, a total of Rs 12.5 Crore was deducted from their purse. Similarly, Rs 78.5 Crore was deducted from the purse despite retaining Russell for Rs 7 Crore. The Knights also used the RTM card to buy back some of their key Indian players, wicketkeeper-batter Robin Uthappa for Rs 6.4 Crore, spinner Kuldeep Yadav for Rs 5.80 Crore and another spinner in Piyush Chawla for Rs 4.50 Crore. KKR Retained Player List Before IPL 2022 Mega Auction In 2022 when two new teams joined the league, Kolkata Knight Riders opted to retain Russell for Rs 12 Crore, Indian duo of Venkatesh Iyer and Varun Chakravarthy for Rs 8 Crore each alongside Narine for Rs 6 Crore.