Following months of anticipation, the BCCI has unveiled the retention rules for the next three IPL seasons. The announcement came shortly after a meeting of the IPL Governing Council in Bengaluru on September 28. According to the official release, the 10 franchises will be permitted to retain up to six players from their current squads, with a salary cap of Rs 120 crore. This can be done through direct retention or by using the Right to Match (RTM) option.
Franchises have the freedom to decide how they wish to balance retentions and RTMs. Out of the six players retained or acquired via RTM, a team can have up to five capped players (Indian or overseas) and no more than two uncapped players. Previously, during the 2022 mega auction, teams were limited to four retentions, but this has now been increased to six.
The ‘uncapped Dhoni’ angle
There have been reports about the possible reintroduction of the uncapped player rule, which was removed in 2021. Chennai Super Kings have been advocating for its return, particularly for former captain MS Dhoni, who retired from international cricket in 2020. Under this rule, a capped Indian player would be considered uncapped, if he hasn’t played in the starting XI in international cricket or hasn’t held a central BCCI contract in last five years. This rule would allow CSK to retain Dhoni for Rs 4 crore, which now seems increasingly likely.
Earlier in the day, BCCI secretary Jay Shah made another important announcement, revealing that for the first time in IPL, players will receive match fees of Rs 7.5 lakh per game, in addition to their auction price. This move is aimed at providing extra motivation to perform well.
In another development, the Impact Player rule will stay for the IPL cycle from 2025 to 2027.
Additionally, the organisers have introduced a strict measure: any player who withdraws from the IPL after being selected in the auction will face a two-year ban. This move comes in response to the growing trend of overseas players opting out before the season begins, aiming to secure player commitment and minimise disruptions to team plans.
Another key update is that players must register for the mega auction if they wish to participate in future mini-auctions. This is intended to create a clear player pool and streamline the auction process.