MUMBAI: IPL franchises are proposing significant changes to player salaries and retention policies. According to a suggestion, a player initially bought for a modest sum, such as Rs 30-50 lakh at the IPL mega auction, could see their salary increased multiple times by the franchise if they perform outstandingly in IPL 2025. This could mean their salary being raised to a few crores.
Currently, there is no provision for a salary increment for players once they are bought at the auction. A franchise official explained, “If a player is bought for Rs 30 lakh and performs exceptionally well, the franchise should have the option to offer him a Rs 3 crore contract for the next year, rather than losing him to another team. This would prevent poaching and allow franchises to retain their best players.”
Suggested Changes to IPL Policies
Franchises have proposed several changes during their meetings with IPL CEO Hemang Amin and BCCI officials:
- Conducting a mega auction only once every five years.
- Allowing teams to retain up to five players.
- Giving each franchise up to eight Right to Match (RTM) options.
- Increasing the salary purse to around Rs 130-140 crores.
The BCCI will finalize these suggestions in an upcoming meeting with IPL owners at the revamped BCCI office at Wankhede Stadium.
Mega Auction Every Five Years
Franchises argue that holding a mega auction every five years instead of three would ensure continuity and allow teams to develop young players fully. “A longer gap between mega auctions would help teams get the best out of the players they have invested in,” a franchise official noted.
Retentions and RTMs
While there was initial talk of allowing up to eight retentions, the final figure might be lower. “Expect not more than five player retentions,” a source tracking the developments said. There is also discussion about the RTM option, with some suggesting up to eight RTM cards.
In the past, a maximum of five players could be retained by each team, with RTM options used in the auction. In 2022, when Gujarat Titans and Lucknow Super Giants joined the IPL, the RTM option was not allowed to give the new teams a larger pool of players to choose from.
Increased Salary Cap
The salary cap for each team is expected to rise significantly from Rs 90 crores to around Rs 130-140 crores. This increase is in response to the growing number of matches and the higher demands on players. “The salary cap increase has been pending for a while,” a source said.
Discussion on the Impact Player Rule
There may also be discussions on the controversial Impact Player rule, although it is likely to be implemented for at least one more year.
