MUMBAI: The much-anticipated meeting between the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise owners is set to take place on Wednesday at the board’s headquarters in the Wankhede Stadium complex. The meeting will focus on retentions ahead of the mega auction and other significant decisions.
“A substantial portion of the meeting will likely be dedicated to discussing retentions, which are expected to be limited to five or six players per team. Additional topics include extending the interval between mega auctions from three to five years, increasing the auction purse, and implementing performance-based salary increments,” a source familiar with the developments told NOG.
The auction purse is anticipated to rise from Rs 90 crore to Rs 130-140 crore.
One notable change under consideration is allowing franchises to retain uncapped players in a separate slot. “Franchises may be permitted to retain two or three uncapped players from their current squads for the 2024 IPL season under an additional slot. This proposal is supported by most franchises, who have invested significantly in developing these players over the past few years,” the source added.
The list of uncapped players franchises aim to retain includes:
- Mumbai Indians: Nehal Wadhera, Naman Dhir, Akash Madhwal
- Kolkata Knight Riders: Vaibhav Arora, Ramandeep Singh, Suyash Sharma
- Punjab Kings: Harpreet Brar, Ashutosh Sharma, Shashank Singh, Prabhsimran Singh
- Chennai Super Kings: Mukesh Chaudhary, Simarjeet Singh, Sameer Rizvi
- Sunrisers Hyderabad: Nitish Kumar Reddy, Abdul Samad
- Royal Challengers Bangalore: Yash Dayal, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Anuj Rawat, Mahipal Lomror
- Lucknow Super Giants: Mayank Yadav, Mohsin Khan
Before the 2022 mega auction, franchises could retain up to four players, with a maximum of three Indians, two overseas players, and two uncapped Indians. Right-to-Match (RTM) cards were not allowed due to the addition of two new teams, but one RTM card may be introduced this time.
Impact Player Rule Likely to Continue
The Impact Player rule, despite criticisms for discouraging all-rounders, is expected to remain in IPL 2025. “While the rule may not favor the development of all-rounders, it ensures high-scoring games, which is a priority for broadcasters. Additionally, it allows more players to participate and provides rest to some players during matches. Most importantly, India won the T20 World Cup in June after two years of implementing this rule in the IPL, suggesting its effectiveness,” the source explained.
These discussions and decisions will shape the future structure and strategy of the IPL, impacting both franchises and players significantly.
