BCCI Expected to Allow Franchises to Retain Five Players in IPL Auction
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is expected to permit IPL franchises to retain up to five players during the upcoming player auction, according to a report by The Indian Express. Unlike previous auctions, this time, the franchises will not have the right to match (RTM) option.
In a recent meeting at the BCCI headquarters, player retention was discussed with representatives from all ten IPL teams. The majority of team owners expressed a desire to retain 5-6 players, emphasizing the importance of continuity in team building. The BCCI has reportedly agreed to their request, acknowledging that allowing the retention of up to five players helps maintain the franchises’ brand value.
Before the 2022 season, teams were allowed to retain up to four players, with restrictions on not retaining more than three Indian players and two overseas players. However, the rules for how many overseas players can be retained for the upcoming auction remain unclear.
All eyes will now be on franchises like Mumbai Indians, who have traditionally maintained a consistent core. Despite their past success, Mumbai’s underperformance this season under Hardik Pandya’s captaincy has led to curiosity about how they will handle their player retention strategy.
The BCCI has not yet finalized the retention costs for the upcoming auction.
During the same meeting, several long-standing franchises advocated for holding major auctions every four to five years. Citing continuity concerns, they requested the BCCI to postpone this year’s big auction by a year, as they were hesitant to lose key players in whom they had heavily invested. The last two major auctions occurred in 2018 and 2022, following a four-year cycle.
