IPL Governing Council Approves Six Player Retentions; Dhoni Designated as Uncapped Player

The IPL governing council has decided that each of the 10 franchises can retain up to six players from their previous squads. This includes using the Right To Match (RTM) card, which will cost Rs 75 crore from an increased team purse of Rs 120 crore. The BCCI also announced that Indian players who haven't played internationally for five years will be considered "uncapped," a move seen to help Chennai Super Kings retain Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

The retention cost for an uncapped player is set at Rs 4 crore. This means Chennai Super Kings can save significantly if they choose to retain Dhoni. In the last mega auction in 2022, teams were allowed up to four retentions. BCCI secretary Jay Shah also revealed a fixed match fee of Rs 7.50 lakh for players selected for league games, with an additional income of Rs 1.05 crore over their salaries.

Retention and Salary Cap Details

The total salary cap now includes the auction purse, performance pay, and match fees. Previously, in 2024, the total salary cap was Rs 110 crore, which will increase to Rs 146 crore in 2025, Rs 151 crore in 2026, and Rs 157 crore in 2027. Franchises must keep a fixed salary purse of Rs 12.60 crore alongside the auction and retention purse of Rs 120 crore for the next season.

Franchises have the option to retain six players using retention or RTM cards. They can choose any combination of retentions and RTMs, with a maximum of five capped players and two uncapped players. The retention costs are Rs 18 crore for the first player, Rs 14 crore for the second, and Rs 11 crore for the third. If a team opts for fourth and fifth retentions, they will again pay Rs 18 crore and Rs 14 crore.

Impact on Team Strategies

A franchise retaining all five capped players will have only Rs 45 crore left to buy or use their RTM card for another 15 players. There is no restriction on Indian or overseas retentions. Stronger franchises like Mumbai Indians and Kolkata Knight Riders supported six to eight retentions, while others with fewer star players preferred fewer retentions.

To ensure fair competition, more deductions were introduced for fourth and fifth retentions. Teams opting for only three retentions can add more star value at auctions, allowing weaker teams to strengthen their squads. For instance, if Mumbai Indians retain Hardik Pandya, Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, and Thilak Varma, they will spend Rs 75 crore from their purse.

If Ishan Kishan's price rises to Rs 15 crore at auction, they might need an RTM card. This would leave them with just Rs 30 crore to select another 14 players. It's important to note that retention prices are deducted from the team purse but may not reflect the player's actual salary.

Player Earnings and Overseas Player Rules

Jay Shah announced on Twitter that an uncapped Indian player playing three IPL games could earn Rs 22.5 lakh plus a base price of Rs 20 lakh. This totals Rs 42.5 lakh for three games compared to earning Rs 24 lakh for playing ten Ranji Trophy games in a season.

"In a historic move to celebrate consistency and champion outstanding performances in the IPL, we are thrilled to introduce a match fee of INR 7.5 lakhs per game for our cricketers! "A cricketer playing all league matches in a season will get Rs. 1.05 crores in addition to his contracted amount," Shah tweeted.

The BCCI plans a two-year ban on overseas players who withdraw after being picked at auctions due to fatigue or other reasons. If overseas stars don't register for an auction one year, they can't participate for another two years.

The changes aim to balance team strengths while rewarding consistent performers financially. These adjustments reflect efforts to maintain competitive balance across franchises while ensuring fair compensation for players' contributions during the IPL season.