The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 mega-auction is approaching, and teams are finalizing their retentions. However, Rajasthan Royals’ (RR) decision to release England’s white-ball captain Jos Buttler has left many shocked. Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra has questioned the reasoning behind this move, particularly given Buttler’s stellar track record with the Royals.

Buttler, who has been in good form recently, scoring 83 off 45 balls in the second T20I against West Indies, will now be available in the auction. His release has raised eyebrows, especially considering his performance for RR over the years. In 82 innings, Buttler amassed 3,055 runs at an average of 41.84 and a strike rate of 147.79, including 18 half-centuries and seven centuries.

Chopra highlighted Buttler’s match-winning ability, noting that even when not in top form, Buttler could still change the game. “Whenever Jos does well, he wins the match,” Chopra remarked. The decision to retain West Indies finisher Shimron Hetmyer over Buttler has sparked debate, with many questioning the logic.

Chopra also pointed out that despite Buttler’s recent struggles, he still managed to score two centuries in crucial matches. Additionally, Buttler has been a global brand ambassador for RR, also playing for their sister team, Paarl Royals, which made his release even more surprising.

RR retained six players, including captain Sanju Samson, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel, Shimron Hetmyer, and Sandeep Sharma. However, the release of star players like Buttler, Ravichandran Ashwin, and Yuzvendra Chahal has sparked significant debate.