IPL auction explained: RTM with a twist, retention boards and fee cap for overseas players

What are retention plates and how do they work?

However, there are some overarching rules regarding storage, namely. Franchises can retain a maximum of five capped players (Indian/foreign) and a maximum of two uncapped players. Each uncapped player retained will be valued at an amount INR 4 crores and the corresponding amount will be deducted from each team’s total purse (INR 120 crores for IPL 2025). The five retained capped players will be valued as follows.

Given the above board, here are some imaginary scenarios:

Scenario 1: Team A keeps 6 players (5 capped + 1 uncapped)

In such a case, a sum of INR 79 crores will be deducted from the purse and Team A will have INR 41 crores to spend on the auction table. After detaining six players, they will also have no RTMs.

Scenario 2: Team B keeps 5 players (4 capped + 1 uncapped)

In such a case, a sum of INR 65 crores will be deducted from the purse and Team B will have INR 55 crores to spend on the auction table. After retaining five players, they will also select one RTM (explained below) to try to bring in another of their existing players when he comes up for auction.

For the above-mentioned scenarios, the auction portfolio deductions provided are the bare minimum. This value may drop further, for example, a team may pay ₹20 crore to retained player 1 – above his value in brackets – and therefore be burdened with an additional INR 2 crore from the purse, and so on.

RTM returns to the auction in an unusual version of ©IPL

New addition to the use of Right to Match (RTM)

Another way to reacquire an existing player is to use the RTM option during the auction. As mentioned above, the number of RTMs a team has will be a function of simple arithmetic: (6 – Number of direct stops). This means that if a franchise only retains three players, it will have three RTMs.

However, the BCCI has introduced a significant change in the way the RTM option works during the auction. While previously a team could simply agree to meet the highest bid in the auction to pick up the player, this time the highest bidder will be given one last chance to raise their bid further before the team holding the RTM scoops up the player.

For example: If Ravichandran Ashwin is auctioned and Royal Challengers Bengaluru makes the highest bid of INR 6 crore for him, then Rajasthan Royals (Ashwin’s current franchise) will be first asked if they want to use their RTM (if they have one). ). If RR agrees, then RCB will get another chance to increase the price and submit a final offer. If RCB now raises this amount to INR 9 crore, then RR can exercise their RTM and re-sign Ashwin for INR 9 crore.

Limitation of fees for foreign players in mini-auctions

Meanwhile, the IPL GC has also proposed new regulations aimed at quelling the discontent surrounding foreign players opting to play in the auction system by taking advantage of the supply-demand imbalance in mini-auctions to earn hefty earnings. Under the new regulations, a foreign player will have to register for the mega auction (2025). If he doesn’t do this, he will also miss the next small auction. Exceptions to this rule may be allowed in the event of injury/health, which will need to be confirmed by the host management.

Foreign players will also have a salary cap from the next mini-auction (2026). The maximum fee that a foreign player can get in the mini auction will be determined based on the highest retention price of INR 18 crores (mentioned above) or the highest auction price in the mega auction, whatever is lower.

For example: If Virat Kohli stays in the top bracket of INR 18 crore and Ishan Kishan fetches the highest bid of INR 16 crore in the mega auction in 2025, then in the next mini auction in 2026, no foreign player will be able to get a salary higher than INR 16 crores – the lesser of the two amounts.

In the same example, if Ishan Kishan is signed in the mega auction for INR 20 crore, the maximum salary of a foreign player will be INR 18 crore.

Under the new regulations, bidding for a foreign player can continue until he is finally sold to the franchise, and the final amount will be taken from the winning team’s auction cash. However, the additional amount (over and above ₹16 or 18 crore in the above examples) will be transferred to the BCCI and used for the welfare of the player.