The Indian Premier League’s Governing Council met in Bengaluru on Saturday to announce new regulations for the IPL seasons from 2025 to 2027. The new regulations have put a stop to several debates regarding next year’s mega-auction. After the meeting an eight-point-long list of rules ahead of the 2025 season mega-auction, which is likely to take place by the end of this year. The continuation of the Impact player rule, Retentions and Right-to-Match, and a few other rules endured a few tweaks.
Retention Limits:
The ten franchises will be able to retain as many as six players from their squads from the previous season. These retentions can include a maximum of 5 (overseas and local) capped and 2 uncapped players. This figure includes both pre-auction retentions as well as buying players back using the Right-to-Match (RTM) during the auction. However, the franchises will be allowed to choose their own combinations for RTM and Retentions. RTM was reintroduced for the first time after the 2018 mega-auction as a result of at least three franchises debating in its favor during the BCCI’s meet with all of the franchises in July.
However this time, it has been decided to give the final bidder another chance to raise the bid even after the original franchise has used the RTM card. For instance, if a player from Chennai Super Kings (CSK) goes into the mega-auction, gets a final bid of INR 7 crore from Royal Challengers Bangalore, and is used RTM card on by CSK–instead of allowing CSK to buy the player back, RCB will be asked if they can raise the bid to get the player. The rule reads,
“The highest bidder will be given one final opportunity to raise their bid for a player before the team holding the RTM card can exercise their right. For example, if Team 1 holds the RTM for Player X and Team 2 has placed the highest bid of INR 6 crore, then Team 1 will be first asked if they will exercise RTM, if Team 1 agrees, then Team 2 will have the chance to increase their bid. If Team 2 raises their bid to INR 9 crore, then Team 1 can use the RTM and acquire Player X for INR 9 crore. If Team 2 chooses not to raise the bid and keeps it at INR 6 crore, Team 1 can use the RTM and get Player X for INR 6 crore.”
In addition to that, the teams will have to pay INR 75 crore if they retain five capped players. The amount will decrease depending upon the number of retained players as per the following figures:
1st Retention: INR 18 crore
2nd Retention: INR 14 crore
3rd Retention: INR 11 crore
4th Retention: INR 18 crore
5th Retention: INR 14 crore
For uncapped players, however, the retention price would be INR 4 crore.
Impact Player Rule
The governing council has decided to continue with the Impact Player Rule for the next three seasons until 2027. Under this rule, which was introduced in 2023, the teams were allowed to call in one substitute player (mostly a specialist bowler or batter depending on the situation). Many teams, players, and pundits expressed their concerns with regard to the rules, some believing this affects the role played by all-rounders. However, the previous season saw many records tumbling, thanks to the very rule.
Increased Purse:
Another significant change, as decided by the council, is to increase the purse from INR 100 crore to INR 120 crore. Out of this purse, a maximum of INR 75 crore will be deducted for retentions (for five retentions, lesser if lower number of players are retained). The other way of saying it is that if a team decides to retain three capped players and two uncapped players, INR 47 crore will be deducted from the total amount of the purse. This means that the franchises will go into the auction with a purse reduced for the retentions. However, the retention amount may or may not be given in entirety to the player.
Uncapped Player Rule:
Another rule from the memory lane has been revived by the IPL governing council. The rule, which was introduced in 2008 and scraped in 2021, allows the teams to include players who have not been a part of the starting XI for the Indian senior team in any of the formats for the past five calendar years and can be retained as an uncapped player.
“A capped Indian player will become uncapped if he has, in the five calendar years preceding the year in which the relevant season is held, not played in the starting XI in international cricket and does not have a central contract with BCCI. This will be applicable for Indian players only.”
The debate about reviving this debate sparked when barring one franchise owner, all others argued in favor of the rule. The rule, however, only applies to Indian players.
Match Fee Hike:
The media release also mentioned that the council has decided to introduce a match fee in addition to the contracted amount a player is to be paid. This fee will be INR 7.5 Lakh per match for all players including the impact player. The total salary cap for each player will now include the amount from the auction purse, pay based on performance, and match fees.
Regarding Overseas players:
There are certainly a couple of rules that the overseas players might not like. For one, the governing council has announced that foreign players need to register for the mega-auction if they wish to be included in the mini-auction next year. In addition to this, there is a maximum fee for the overseas player to ensure that they do not end up as the highest signings in mini-auctions, pushing local players backstage.
“If the highest auction price at the big auction is INR 20 crore, then INR 18 crore will be the cap (for overseas players). Conversely, if the highest auction price at the big auction is INR 16 crore, then the cap will be INR 16 crore.”
Lastly, the council has also decided to ban a foreign player for two seasons if he registers himself, gets picked, and then fails to play the entire season.
