The IPL Governing Council issued the retention guidelines ahead of the mega players’ auction, requiring all 10 franchises to submit their retained players’ list by October 31, 2024, at 5 PM IST, as per Cricbuzz. Players capped on or before this date will be considered capped players.
According to the official statement, each franchise can retain a maximum of six players from their previous squad, with the option to use a Right To Match (RTM) card at the auction. This will cost Rs 75 crore out of the enhanced Rs 120 crore team purse. Additionally, Indian players who haven’t played international matches for five calendar years will be classified as ‘uncapped’ under the new guidelines.
On Saturday, BCCI Secretary Jay Shah also confirmed a fixed match fee of Rs 7.50 lakh for players selected for league games, alongside an additional income of Rs 1.05 crore on top of their salaries. Franchises must maintain a fixed salary purse of Rs 12.60 crore, separate from the Rs 120 crore auction-retention budget.
Though the IPL statement didn’t specify the retention valuation, PTI reported that the first retention will cost Rs 18 crore, the second Rs 14 crore, and the third Rs 11 crore. Opting for the fourth and fifth retention will cost Rs 18 crore and Rs 14 crore, respectively.
“If a franchise opts to retain five capped players, they will only have Rs 45 crore left to buy other players or use the RTM card to build a squad,” PTI stated, noting there is no cap on Indian or overseas retention.
The BCCI also plans to impose a two-year ban on players who withdraw after being picked at the auction, particularly targeting English and Australian players who often leave citing fatigue or other priorities. The rule states that overseas players who don’t register for an auction will not be allowed to participate for the next two years.
