Lucknow Super Kings completed their first formal signing for IPL 2025 as West Indies wicket-keeper batter Nicholas Pooran was retained by the franchise for Rs 18 crore. According to Cricbuzz, Pooran visited the Kolkata office of the RPSG group on Tuesday to meet team owner Sanjiv Goenka and complete the formalities of his retention. Pooran joined LSG in 2023 for a price of Rs 16 crore and media reports have suggested that he can replace KL Rahul as the captain for the 2025 season.

“Pooran is committed to LSG, possesses a winning mindset, thinks deep and above all he is adaptable to the batting order and any match situation,” an LSG official told Cricbuzz.

Cricbuzz further reported that Rahul will not be a part of the LSG setup anymore with Pooran being the first of their five retentions.

Ravi Bishnoi, Mayank Yadav, Ayush Badoni and Mohsin Khan are reportedly the other retentions as LSG are expected to enter the IPL 2025 auction with a purse of Rs 69 crore.

Gujarat Titans are set to retain their captain Shubman Gill alongside star spinner Rashid Khan and left-handed batter Sai Sudharsan ahead of the IPL mega auction.

Uncapped hitters Rahul Tewatia and Shahrukh Khan are also expected to be retained by the franchise.

“Shubman, Rashid and Sai will be retained by the franchise,” said an IPL source.

Gill, who is seen a future leader in the Indian cricket setup, had captained Titans for the first time earlier this year when the side finished eighth out of 10 teams.

Titans had won the IPL on debut in 2022 before finishing runners-up the following year, both under Hardik Pandya‘s leadership.

The decision to retain Rashid is also on expected lines. The 26-year old took 19 wickets in his maiden season with the team in 2022 before collecting 27 wickets in the following season. His form dipped this season when he took 10 wickets in 12 games at an average of 36.70.

Sudharsan will also be retained ahead of the deadline on October 31 after a breakout year when he amassed 527 runs in 12 games including a hundred. The young batter has featured in three ODIs and a T20 for the national team.

Uncapped Shahrukh Khan batted at an impressive strike rate of 169.33 and at Rs 4 crore, he would come with a bargain price for the franchise.

IPL veteran Tewatia, who has played close to 100 games, is another batter Titans are expected to retain. The southpaw batted with a 145 plus strike last season.

(With PTI inputs)