The Indian Premier League (IPL) has finally unveiled the much-awaited retention rules, giving all ten franchises the opportunity to hold onto their key players for the upcoming seasons. The rules, announced on Saturday night, allow teams to retain up to six players through two methods: direct retention and the Right to Match (RTM) option. This gives franchises the flexibility to build their core squads while also keeping their options open for the upcoming auction.
The IPL has outlined specific guidelines for the retention process. Teams can retain a maximum of five capped players (both Indian and overseas) and a maximum of two uncapped players. The decision on which players to retain ultimately lies with each franchise, allowing them to craft their ideal team combinations.
The deadline for teams to finalize and submit their retention lists is set for October 31, 2024, at 5 PM IST. This provides franchises with ample time to assess their options and strategically select their retained players.
In determining a player’s capped status, the IPL has introduced a clear criterion. Any player who represents their country in an international match before October 31, 2024, will be classified as a capped player. However, a player who is initially retained as uncapped but goes on to make their international debut before the auction day will still be considered uncapped for the auction. In such a scenario, the team’s auction purse will only be reduced by Rs 4 crore, the designated amount for retaining an uncapped player. This ensures fair treatment for players who achieve international recognition after the retention process.
The IPL Governing Council (GC) has also incorporated an interesting ‘pay more to retain more’ formula into the retention rules. This means that the cost of retaining players increases with each subsequent retention. For instance, each team has an increased auction purse of Rs 120 crore. The first three retentions will see a deduction of Rs 18 crore, Rs 14 crore, and Rs 11 crore, respectively. However, the fourth and fifth retentions will further reduce the franchise purse by Rs 18 crore and Rs 14 crore. Effectively, retaining five players will cost a total of Rs 75 crore, leaving the franchise with Rs 45 crore for the auction.
The price for retaining an uncapped player has been set at Rs 4 crore, further reducing a franchise’s purse. This highlights the value placed on emerging talent in the IPL. Looking ahead, the IPL has also announced increased auction purses for the subsequent seasons. The purse will be Rs 151 crore in 2026 and Rs 157 crore in 2027. This reflects the league’s growing popularity and financial strength, creating an exciting environment for players and fans alike.
These retention rules provide a balanced approach to building strong team foundations while encouraging strategic decisions from franchises. The ‘pay more to retain more’ formula adds a layer of complexity and incentivizes teams to carefully consider their retention choices. With the deadline approaching, the IPL world awaits to see which players will be retained and how teams will strategically approach the upcoming auction.
