IPL 2025: Ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction, the BCCI has released a new retention policy. Each franchise is allowed to retain a maximum of six players, which will include at least one uncapped player. This also gives the franchises an opportunity to field an uncapped player in the retention price bracket, as well as the additional benefit of having one more domestic player. At the same time, the purse amount for the mega auction this season has been fixed at Rs 120 crore.
IPL 2025: Know the answers to the big 7 questions related to the new retention policy-
- What is the retention policy of IPL 2025?
According to the new policy, every team can retain a maximum of six players. Which can include 5 capped (Indian or foreign) and 2 uncapped players.
- What effect does retention have on the team’s auction purse?
A franchise will lose Rs 75 crore from its Rs 120 crore purse due to just five retained players. The price slabs for the first three retained players ahead of the mega auction are 18 crores, 14 crores and 11 crores. The price for the fourth and fifth retentions has been fixed at 18 crores and 14 crores respectively. If a team wants to retain an uncapped player apart from the five capped retentions, it will have to bear a loss of 4 crores per player.
- Will retention limit the number of star players in the auction pool?
IPL 2025, the new retention policy will surely provide ample opportunities to young talents, as some big names will be out of the competition. Players like Mayank Dagar could move up the auction table, as other spinners like Ravi Bishnoi and Mayank Markande are more likely to remain in their respective teams.
- Does retention affect team balance and auction strategy?
Franchisees raised concerns that the old retention policy was leading to loss of talent and players they promoted had to be left out due to rule constraints.
- What is RTM and how will it impact IPL franchises?
RTM or Right to Match option can be used by teams when their released player is on the auction table. It can be used when there are two or more options for a particular department and teams are sure that their player will not get a higher bid on the table. If a team retains four players, they can use two RTMs. If they want to retain six players, they do not have the option to use RTM. With a maximum limit of six players in the retention policy, the remaining will be allowed as RTM options for the respective teams if it falls below six.
- What does ‘uncapped players’ mean for IPL 2025 auction?
An uncapped player will mean someone who has not featured in India’s playing XI in any international match for five years prior to the 2025 season, or does not hold a BCCI central contract in the last five years prior to the current season.
- How does retention shape the auction strategy?
Teams will field half their playing XI. Fans might not be able to see Mitchell Starc’s record price auction. Teams will be half-capped, with the criteria being to meet the minimum limit of 18 players in a squad. RTMs could play a big role as the other half of every team’s playing XI is open for teams who need a star player in their kitty.