Lalit Modi shares new rules for retentions ahead of IPL 2025 Mega Auction

Lalit Modi shared some of the new rules regarding player retentions ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 Mega Auction. The former IPL chairman also said that according to rumours, the mega auction will take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and will be a two-day affair.

Regarding the retentions, teams will have the option of continuing with six of their players. They can be snapped up at the auction with the help of the Right To Match cards. However, there will be uncertainty regarding the money they would take out from the franchise's purse of INR 120 crores. To avoid this uncertainty factor, teams can choose to retain six players ahead of the auction. This will not give them the option of using an RTM card.

Teams can also choose to retain some players ahead of the auction and bring back others using RTMs. For example, if a team retains four players ahead of the auction, they will only have two RTMs to use at the auction. Similarly, if a team releases all their players ahead of the auction, they will have an option to use six RTM cards to call back their players. Therefore, the franchise have the power to select their combination for retentions and RTMs.

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Every team will have to retain at least one and at most two uncapped players. An uncapped player will take INR 4 crore from the team's purse. Meanwhile, the first five retained capped players will get INR 18, 14, 11, 18, and 14 crores in order.

If retention deduction of overall amount instead of fee per player, in this case of INR 75 crores irrespective of what amount is paid to five players. If the total amount exceeds INR 75 crores then the actual amount is to be deducted. In case the amount is less than INR 75 crores then 75 crores is to be deducted.

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Purse to increase by INR 5 crores each year till 2027

The auction purse is INR 120 crores in the 2025 season but it will increase to INR 125 crores and INR 130 crores, respectively in the two subsequent editions. Meanwhile, 12 players will get INR 7.50 lakhs each per match. If a player gets to play 14 matches in the season, he will be earning INR 1.05 crores through match fees.

Player fee/Salary cap by team standing will see the first team having INR 145.80 crores in 2025. In the next two editions, it will increase to INR 151.35 crores and INR 156.90 crores, respectively. Meanwhile, the 10th-placed team will have INR 132.60 in 2025, INR 137.60 crores in 2026, and INR 142.60 crores in 2027.

Most fans know by now that the old regulation where a capped player is eligible to be considered as an uncapped player when he has not been named in the starting XI in an international match five calendar years preceding the year in which the relevant season is held or when he doesn't have a central contract with the BCCI has been reinstated ahead of IPL 2025. This will allow Chennai Super Kings (CSK) to register MS Dhoni, who made his last international appearance in the 2019 ODI World Cup, as an uncapped player and help the Men in Yellow save a lot of money.

Also, overseas players will have to make themselves available for the mega auction. If an overseas player makes himself unavailable, he will have to miss the subsequent auction. A player will be exempted from this rule on grounds of injury or medical condition, which will have to be confirmed by the home cricket board.

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Also, any player who finds a team at the mega auction opts out before the tournament, he will be banned for the next two seasons. However, if the player is injured and can get his home board to confirm the same then he could be allowed for future seasons.

If a player earns more than INR 16 crores or INR 18 crores at the auction, then the incremental amount will be deposited with BCCI. The cricket governing body will use the money towards the Player's Welfare.

The Impact Player Rule will continue for the 2025 to 2027 cycle after adding a lot of interest among the fans in the last couple of seasons. There will also be an option to loan in and out players as per the teams' discretion.

The highest bidder will be given one final opportunity to increase their bid for a player before the team holding that 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 crores, 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 crores then Team 1 can use the RTM and rope in Player X for INR 9 crores. If Team 2 decides not to raise the bid and keep it at INR 6 crores, Team 1 can use the RTM and get Player X for INR 6 crores.

Till the 2024 edition of the tournament, teams were allowed to replace injured players up to the seventh league match of the concerned franchise. From next season, the replacements will be allowed up to the 12th match.