As the 17th season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) progresses, talks have been initiated regarding the upcoming mega auction slated for reportedly 2025. Among the primary subjects under consideration is the possibility of raising the player retention quota, aiming to bolster team stability and consistency league-wide.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has extended invitations to all 10 IPL franchise owners for a meeting in Ahmedabad next week to deliberate on various facets of the league’s future. Sources indicate that player retention has surfaced as a significant agenda item, with most franchises inclined towards augmenting the number of players they can retain before the auction.
“Things are at a very nascent stage. The board is seeking recommendations to carry the league forward. Player retention is a major factor in that. Going by the informal discussions, the majority of the franchises are in favor of having a provision where they can retain about eight players before the auction,” a BCCI source told The Times of India.
No specific details have been addressed regarding the Right to Match (RTM) or the limit on overseas player retention: BCCI Souce
In the previous mega auction, teams could hold onto up to four players and potentially reclaim one extra player using the ‘right to match’ (RTM) card, enabling a total retention of five players per team. However, with the league expanding to 10 teams, there’s a growing concern that the player pool is shrinking, posing challenges for certain franchises to efficiently reconstruct their squads.
Several franchises have voiced their wish to retain a larger portion of their core teams, emphasizing the importance of continuity and team stability. The proposal is to raise the number of player retentions to approximately eight, with potential further discussions on the RTM option and the limit on overseas retentions.
Furthermore, teams have expressed interest in increasing the current cumulative salary cap from Rs 90 crore to Rs 100 crore, given the BCCI’s recent substantial media rights deals.
“Some feel that it doesn’t make sense if the core of the team is broken so frequently. Franchises have identified that there should be a scope to retain the larger part of the core team. There are a couple of objections to this suggestion. Nothing specific has been discussed about the RTM or cap on overseas retentions,” the source added.
Moreover, certain franchises like Delhi Capitals and Royal Challengers Bangalore have encountered difficulties in sustaining their momentum following the previous mega auction. This has further strengthened the belief that a larger player retention pool could assist teams in preserving the core of their squads and improving their long-term competitiveness.
“There will be some resistance because a few franchises will want a bigger pool of players in the auction to rebuild their teams. One must remember that there are 10 teams now and if the number of retentions is increased, then the ‘cream pool’ will become very small. The meeting on April 16 is likely to revolve around these talking points,” the source concluded.
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