Shubman Gill has set a commendable example for his peers to emulate. As the captain of the Gujarat Titans, he has demonstrated selflessness by agreeing to be the second player retained by the IPL franchise before the October 31 deadline.
Despite leading the Titans for the first time this season, Gill has chosen to prioritize the team's success over personal gain, showcasing his dedication to maintaining a strong core group of players. By accepting the role of the franchise's second retained player, Gill has paved the way for Afghanistan's renowned spinner, Rashid Khan, to be the first retention for the team. Following Gill, Sai Sudharsan, along with two uncapped players, Rahul Tewatia and Shahrukh Khan, will also be retained by the 2022 champions.
In addition to the five players already retained, the Titans will also have the opportunity to retain an additional squad member through the right-to-match (RTM) card at the upcoming mega auction next month. Gill, a 24-year-old cricketer, is widely regarded as a future leader in the Indian cricket scene. With many successful years of cricket ahead of him, he is poised to secure lucrative contracts in the future.
“Gill has decided to take a pay cut to ensure the core players are retained and build a stronger team,” an IPL source said.
As per the IPL retention guidelines, franchises will incur a loss of Rs 18 crore for the first player retained, Rs 14 crore for the second player, and Rs 11 crore for the third player. Uncapped players will require a team to allocate Rs 4 crore each.
The upcoming mega auction is scheduled to take place overseas in the final week of November. The auction purse has increased to Rs 120 crore from last year's Rs 100 crore. Franchises have the option to retain up to six players through retention or right-to-match from their current squad.
Leading up to the 2022 edition, MS Dhoni voluntarily relinquished his top retention slot to Ravindra Jadeja, who secured a contract worth Rs 16 crore. Jadeja, a prominent all-rounder, assumed the captaincy of the Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2022 but later stepped down due to a challenging start to the season, prompting Dhoni to resume his role as skipper.
Looking ahead to the 2024 mega-auction, CSK is expected to retain Jadeja as their top pick once again, while Dhoni is anticipated to be retained as an uncapped player.
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