"They won't give him 18 crores" - Aakash Chopra feels SunRisers Hyderabad won't retain Pat Cummins ahead of IPL 2025 auction

Aakash Chopra reckons the SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) won't retain Pat Cummins ahead of the IPL 2025 auction. He pointed out that the franchise might have reservations about retaining the Australian Test and ODI skipper for ₹18 crore after his recent statements.

SRH appointed Cummins their skipper for IPL 2024 after acquiring him at the auction for a whopping ₹20.50 crore. The pacer repaid their faith by taking the IPL 2016 champions to a runners-up finish this year.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra', the former India opener opined that the uncertainties surrounding Cummins' availability might convince SRH not to pay an exorbitant amount to retain him.

"Pat Cummins has said that he doesn't know whether he will come for the IPL or not because other things are there, that it's a non-stop treadmill, it is difficult, the priorities are different, the tentpoles are the Ashes and World Cups, and it's okay if the IPL fits in somewhere in between. He also said that new rules have come," he said (8:55).

"Although he even added that he hasn't ever missed, he has never gone back after putting his name in the auction. However, Mitchell Starc and other players have gone. I feel the SunRisers Hyderabad won't retain him. They won't give him 18 crores. I am getting a feeling like that although he bowled and captained well," Chopra added.

The first three capped retentions will cost the IPL franchises ₹18 crore, ₹14 crore and ₹11 crore, respectively. The subsequent two capped retentions will lead to a deduction of ₹18 crore and ₹14 crore respectively from their purse.

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"He is going to be released and he might not put his name in the auction as well" - Aakash Chopra on Pat Cummins

In the same video, Aakash Chopra opined that Pat Cummins might not put his name in the auction. He added that the right-arm seamer could potentially not be keen to stay with the SunRisers Hyderabad.

"He is going to be released and he might not put his name in the auction as well. That is also a real possibility, that whether you want to come after six months because you have taken a franchise to the final. You may not want to actually be retained. You may want to go," he said (9:30).

Cummins picked up 18 wickets at an economy rate of 9.27 in 16 innings in IPL 2024. Only T Natarajan, who accounted for 19 dismissals at an economy rate of 9.05 in 14 innings, took more wickets for the franchise this season.