The IPL is not only witnessed during the peak of Indian summer but is also closely watched when the players are picked at the auction table. The IPL auction has a separate fan base, which adds more value and serves as an invitation for the tournament. The lucrative League is in the news for various reasons ahead of the 2025 IPL auction.
BCCI has developed a new set of rules and regulations for the mega IPL 2025 auction, which will likely be held in Saudi Arabia later this year. The richest cricket board in the world has made key decisions during the IPL Governing Council meeting regarding the best interests of the franchises. The big bosses have been particularly tough on the foreign players who sometimes don’t show up for the tournament despite getting picked up in the auction table.
IPL auction and retention rules for IPL 2025:
1. Franchises can retain a maximum of 6 players, this can be done either via retention or by using the Right to Match (RTM) policy.
2. The IPL franchise has the discretion to choose their combination of Retentions and RTMs. The 6 retentions / RTMs can have a maximum of 5 capped players (Indian and overseas) and a maximum of 2 uncapped players.
3. The auction purse for the franchises has been set at INR 120 crore for IPL 2025. The total salary cap will now consist of an auction purse, incremental performance pay and match fees. Previously in 2024, the total salary cap (auction purse + incremental performance pay) was Rs.110 crores which will now be Rs. 146 crores (2025), Rs. 151 crores (2026) and Rs. 157 crores (2027).
4. A match fee has been introduced for the first time in the history of IPL. 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 rule has been brought mainly to cater to the players who deserve more than their auction price. Any player who plays the entire season without getting dropped can easily make a minimum of 1.05 crore Rs.
5. Any overseas Player will have to register for the Big Auction. In case the overseas player doesn’t register, then he will be ineligible to register in the following year’s player auction.
6. 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.
As per reports, any foreign player who previously got injured ahead of the IPL would still get 50 percent of his contract amount via claiming their insurance. Now the IPL Governing Council has imposed strict policies for foreign players who deliberately skip the IPL giving injury reasons. The Players had previously made a habit of skipping the IPL, citing workload and family commitments despite getting picked in the auction, the franchises had issues picking the right replacement. To stop all these, strict rules have been made, particularly for the overseas players.
7. 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 apply to Indian Players only.
This is the first time the rule has been implemented to make it a lot more flexible for the franchises who can retain their legendary cricketers for Example MS Dhoni who last represented India in 2019.
8. The impact of Player Regulation will continue for the 2025 to 2027 cycle.
The Impact Player rule which was introduced first in the 2023 season will continue till 2027, despite mixed responses from the Players Circle itself as it kills the role of an all-rounder. BCCI has backed the decision as one Indian player will get the additional opportunity in the game if all 4 overseas players are announced in the starting line-up.
This is a gist of the latest developments in the IPL 2025 auction and retention rules. Everyone is excited about the IPL 2025 mega auction.