Andy Flower explains the rationale behind retaining Virat, Rajat and Yash Dayal ahead of IPL 2025 Mega Auction

RCB retained three of their key players in the form of Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar and uncapped seamer, Yash Dayal. Kohli was retained for INR 21 crore, while Patidar bagged INR 11 crore and Dayal was given INR 5 crore.

Talking to Jio Cinema, Andy Flower explained the rationale behind the retentions, highlighting the key elements which were taken into consideration before the calls were made.

Talking about Virat Kohli, Andy said, "Virat’s retention won’t come as a much of a surprise to anyone in India. He is and will be a key to RCB’s success in the future. He was sensational last year. He was one of the leaders who propelled us into the playoffs despite a poor first half of the season."

Shedding light on Yash Dayal's retention, Flower said, "We are thrilled to retain Yash Dayal, an extraordinary talent whose career is on an upward trajectory. His unique ability as a left-arm bowler, capable of swinging the ball in both directions, adds a valuable dimension to our bowling attack - one that is increasingly rare in the auction landscape."

He concluded by talking about Rajat Patidar, adding, "Rajat Patidar is a key member of our squad. His exceptional talent and resilience have already made a significant impact on our team, and he truly embodies the spirit of RCB. We are excited to see him continue to develop and shine in the upcoming season."