Sunrisers Hyderabad in action during IPL© BCCI
Sunrisers Hyderabad are all set to retain South Africa cricket team star Heinrich Klaasen for a mammoth sum of Rs 23 crore ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction, according to a report by ESPNCricinfo. The report further claimed that Australia all-rounder Pat Cummins will be their second retention for Rs 18 crore while the 2024 runners-up side will retain the services of India youngster Abhishek Sharma for Rs 14 crore. Apart from the trio, Sunrisers Hyderabad are also likely to retain Australia batter Travis Head and India all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy. Reddy was an uncapped player in the 2024 season but he recently made his debut during the T20I series against Bangladesh.
Meanwhile, former India left-hander Hemang Badani is emerging as a front-runner in the race to become the chief coach of Delhi Capitals, while pacer Munaf Patel's name is doing the rounds for a role in the support staff of the franchise.
DC had parted ways with Australian Ricky Ponting as head coach a few weeks ago owing to his availability issues. Ponting had been with the team since 2018.
"DC management is looking at quality home-grown coaches and Hemang and Munaf's names have cropped up. A final decision is yet to be taken but in case of Munaf, it could be bowling coach's job," an IPL source told PTI on conditions of anonymity.
Delhi Capitals, like most of the other franchises, is likely to opt for three retentions -- Rishabh Pant (18 crore), all-rounder Axar Patel (Rs 14 crore) and left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav (Rs 11 crore).
Since five retentions would cost Rs 75 crore, it is believed that Jake-Fraser McGurk, who was last year's breakaway star, and South African Tristan Stubbs, two of their major foreign contributors could be picked with the Right To Match (RTM) cards if their price tags are within team's budget.
On Badani's name coming up as the head coach, it could be a case of change of management for the next two years where GMR, one of the co-owners, the other being JSW, would be running the show.
The two co-owners are believed to have an agreement on micro-managing the team two years each at a time. Badani has earlier worked with Brian Lara in Sunrisers Hyderabad but if he gets the job, then it will be a very big break for him.
(With PTI inputs)