In a stunning IPL twist, South Africa’s powerhouse batter Heinrich Klaasen has overtaken India’s cricketing icon Virat Kohli to become the most expensive retained player in IPL history.
Announced on the retention deadline, the IPL 2025 retention list saw Heinrich Klaasen locked in by Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at a record 23 crores (INR), surpassing Kohli’s previous high of 17 crores (INR) with Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in 2017. Kohli was also retained by RCB for the upcoming season for 21 crores (INR) with Shai Hope staying with Lucknow Super Giants for the same amount.
Klaasen enjoyed a breakthrough season in the previous edition of IPL, where he racked up 479 runs at a staggering strike rate of 171.07 helping SRH post some of the biggest totals of the season. While Kohli led the tournament with a remarkable 741 runs, Klaasen could shift the momentum that made a lasting impact.
He continued his devastating form in the T20 World Cup almost guiding South Africa to their first crown in the final against India.
Among other noteworthy decisions, SRH has also retained their captain and top bowler Pat Cummins, who led the team to the final last season. Meanwhile, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) has released last year’s most expensive player, Mitchell Starc, who commanded 24.75 crores (INR) in the previous auction.
Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings are standing by their marquee players, with Rohit Sharma and MS Dhoni retained for 2025.
The anticipation now builds as teams set their sights on the grand IPL auction for 2025, with Klaasen’s record retention likely to spark high-stakes bidding wars for other available players.
