IPL 2025: Franchises Eye More Player Retentions Ahead Of Mega Auction. While the ongoing season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) continues, the Board of Control for Cricket in India has been informally discussing potential changes with franchise owners for the upcoming mega-auction later this year.
According to a report by The Times of India, franchises are discussing player retention as a key topic, with many seeking ways to retain more players in their squads. In the previous mega auction in 2022, teams were allowed to retain four players, including two foreign players, and were also given a right-to-match card to retain one additional player.
The report indicates that increasing player retentions could assist teams in preserving squad consistency, reducing the need to frequently change core members. However, this proposal does not have unanimous support from all franchise owners.
Another topic discussed was the proposal to increase the salary cap to 100 crores INR, which would be a 10 crore increase from the current limit. The source mentioned, “Some believe that it’s illogical to frequently break up the team’s core. Franchises have suggested the need to retain a larger portion of the core team. However, there are some objections to this idea. Specific details regarding the right-to-match (RTM) option or the cap on overseas retentions have not been discussed.”
Also Read: Team India’s Strongest Possible Playing 11 And Squad For ICC T20 World Cup 2024
The mega-auctions provide each franchise with the chance to assemble the best group of players for their team. To have successful seasons in the future, teams need to establish a core group of players who can stay with the team until the next mega-auction.
A good example of this is Rajasthan Royals and Delhi Capitals. RR started fresh in the 2022 auctions, with Sanju Samson as captain. They made some big-name signings like Yuzvendra Chahal, Ravichandran Ashwin, and Trent Boult, along with younger players like Yashasvi Jaiswal, who has become a key player in the Indian team.
On the other hand, DC had different experiences. They had a strong team with a mix of international stars and reached the finals in 2020. However, since the recent mega-auctions, they have struggled to build a balanced team, resulting in poor performances in the following seasons.
