IPL 2025 : October 31 Set As Deadline For IPL Teams To Finalise Retentions

Teams in the Indian Premier League (IPL) have until October 31, 2023, to finalize their player retentions ahead of the IPL 2025 auction. The IPL governing council has outlined specific retention rules for franchises to follow:

Teams can retain up to six players using a mix of direct retentions and the right-to-match (RTM) option. This includes: Up to five capped players (Indian and overseas). No more than two uncapped Indian players.

A player who makes their international debut before October 31 will be classified as capped. If a player is retained as an uncapped player and later debuts internationally before the auction, they will remain classified as uncapped, resulting in only INR 4 crore being deducted from the team’s auction purse.

The budget for the mega auction has been raised by INR 20 crore, bringing the total budget for each franchise to INR 120 crore (approximately USD 14.3 million). The price for retaining uncapped players is set at INR 4 crore.

Indian players who retired from international cricket at least five years prior to the relevant season can now enter the auction as uncapped players. This change allows MS Dhoni, for example, to be retained by the Chennai Super Kings as an uncapped player, as he last played internationally during the 2019 ODI World Cup.

The IPL will maintain the Impact Player rule, introduced in the 2023 season, which allows teams to substitute a first-XI player with a specialist batter or bowler based on match conditions. This rule has garnered significant discussion regarding its impact on Indian cricket, particularly in the development of all-rounders.

During a meeting with team owners on July 31, most franchises expressed their support for this rule, with the IPL noting that nine of the ten highest totals in its history were recorded since its introduction.

This strategic framework aims to enhance competitiveness and entertainment value in the IPL while allowing teams to shape their rosters effectively.