7 big takeaways from IPL retention rules

The IPL Governing Council announced the IPL retention rules ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) Governing Council (GC) met in Bengaluru on Saturday, September 28, to finalize the IPL retention rules for the IPL 2025 mega auction and announced the same in the evening.

The most important and awaited decision was regarding the number of retentions and Right to Match (RTM) options and their combination.

Firstly, it has been confirmed that the upcoming auction will be a mega-auction, despite asks from some of the owners for a mini-auction this year in order to continue with most of their players. However, it had already been decided a long while ago that the auction for the IPL 2025 season will be a mega auction.

Apart from the player retention policy, there were also several other key announcements regarding the IPL 2025 mega auction that the IPL GC announced.

7 big takeaways from IPL retention rules:

1. Teams can retain six players through retention and RTMs

For the first time in the auction history, the IPL has put no limit on the RTM options. The franchises can retain up to six players – maximum of 5 capped players (Indian & Overseas) and a maximum of 2 uncapped players – through retention and RTMs for the IPL 2025 mega auction.

But, it is at the franchise’s discretion on how many players they want to retain ahead of the auction and how many RTMs they want to keep and use for the auction, provided it is under the limit mentioned above.

2. Auction purse increased to INR 120 crore

In an expected move, the IPL has increased the purse to INR 120 crore for the IPL 2025 mega auction from INR 100 crore from the last auction.

“The total salary cap will now consist of auction purse, incremental performance pay and match fees. Previously in 2024, the total salary cap (auction purse + incremental performance pay) was Rs. 110 Crs which will now be Rs. 146 Crs (2025), Rs. 151 Crs (2026) and Rs. 157 Crs (2027),” stated the BCCI release.

3. Overseas players not allowed in mini-auction if they don’t enter the mega auction

One of the bold moves made by the BCCI and the IPL is that if an overseas player doesn’t register for the mega auction, the player will be ineligible to register in the following year’s player auction.

A few owners have raised the issue that some overseas players have skipped the mega auctions in the past and entered mini auctions to get better deals. A BCCI has taken a strong decision in response to this issue.

4. A player will get banned for two seasons if he pulls out after being sold

A few overseas players – in particular from England and Australia – have in recent years pulled out ahead of the start of the tournament after being sold in the auction. The BCCI has now decided that it will levy a two-season ban on any player if he pulls out before the competition begins.

The release added, “Any player who registers in the player auction and after getting picked at the auction, makes himself unavailable before the start of the season, will get banned from participating in the tournament and player auction for 2 Seasons.”

5. Uncapped player rule returns, CSK can retain MS Dhoni for a lower price

The IPL stated, “A capped Indian player will become uncapped, if the player has in the last five calendar years preceding the year in which the relevant Season is held, not played in the starting XI in International Cricket (Test match, ODI, Twenty20 International) or does not have a Central Contract with BCCI. This will be applicable for Indian Players only.”

A major boost for a franchise like Chennai Super Kings is that they can now retain MS Dhoni for the salary of an uncapped player as the BCCI has brought back the rule of an uncapped player.

The board had scrapped this rule in 2021 because it was never used. However, now, CSK are looking primed to use it on Dhoni and retain their former skipper for a price of only around INR 4 crore.

Dhoni last played for India in 2019.

6. Impact Player rule set to stay

While a number of captains, senior players, coaches, franchise owners, and ex-cricketers expressed displeasure with the Impact Player rule, the rule will stay until 2027.

7. IPL introduces match fees

One of the applauded moves made by the IPL GC is that it has introduced match fees for the first time in the tournament. Each Playing member (Including the Impact Player) will get a match fee of INR 7.5 Lakhs per match. This will be in addition to his contracted amount. This means if a player features in all 14 league matches of his team, he will get INR 1.05 crore apart from his contract money.

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