NEW DELHI: With the IPL set to have another mega auction later this year, it has emerged that the number of player retentions has become a major talking point. TOI has learnt that the Indian cricket board (BCCI) has informally sought suggestions from the IPL franchises and there is a push to increase the number of retained players.
According to sources, the board has invited all 10 franchise owners for a meeting in Ahmedabad next week.
“Things are at a very nascent stage. The board is seeking recommendations to carry the league forward. Player-retention is a major factor in that. Going by the informal discussions, majority of the franchises are in favour of having a provision where they can retain about eight players before the auction,” a BCCI source told TOI.
In the last mega auction, four players were allowed to be retained and one player could be bought back by using the ‘right to match’ (RTM) card. That offered the franchises a scope to retain a total of five players. A maximum of two overseas players could be retained.
Sources said that most franchises feel that there is a need for continuity in the composition of teams. Teams have also expressed their desire to raise the cumulative salary cap to Rs 100 crore from the existing Rs 90 crore since the BCCI has bagged heftier media rights deals.
“Some feel that it doesn’t make sense if the core of the team is broken so frequently. Franchises have identified that there should be a scope to retain the larger part of the core team. There are a couple of objections to this suggestion. Nothing specific has been discussed about the RTM or cap on overseas retentions,” the source said.
A couple of franchises have struggled after the last mega auction – namely Delhi Capitals and Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Capitals have suffered the most. They had built a strong core in the years leading to the last mega auction. They had made the final in 2020 while qualifying for the playoffs on either side of the 2020 season.
“There will be some resistance because a few franchises will want a bigger pool of players in the auction to rebuild their teams. One must remember that there are 10 teams now and if the number of retentions is increased, then the ‘cream pool’ will become very small. The meeting on April 16 is likely to revolve around these talking points,” the source said.
According to sources, the board has invited all 10 franchise owners for a meeting in Ahmedabad next week.
“Things are at a very nascent stage. The board is seeking recommendations to carry the league forward. Player-retention is a major factor in that. Going by the informal discussions, majority of the franchises are in favour of having a provision where they can retain about eight players before the auction,” a BCCI source told TOI.
In the last mega auction, four players were allowed to be retained and one player could be bought back by using the ‘right to match’ (RTM) card. That offered the franchises a scope to retain a total of five players. A maximum of two overseas players could be retained.
Sources said that most franchises feel that there is a need for continuity in the composition of teams. Teams have also expressed their desire to raise the cumulative salary cap to Rs 100 crore from the existing Rs 90 crore since the BCCI has bagged heftier media rights deals.
“Some feel that it doesn’t make sense if the core of the team is broken so frequently. Franchises have identified that there should be a scope to retain the larger part of the core team. There are a couple of objections to this suggestion. Nothing specific has been discussed about the RTM or cap on overseas retentions,” the source said.
A couple of franchises have struggled after the last mega auction – namely Delhi Capitals and Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Capitals have suffered the most. They had built a strong core in the years leading to the last mega auction. They had made the final in 2020 while qualifying for the playoffs on either side of the 2020 season.
“There will be some resistance because a few franchises will want a bigger pool of players in the auction to rebuild their teams. One must remember that there are 10 teams now and if the number of retentions is increased, then the ‘cream pool’ will become very small. The meeting on April 16 is likely to revolve around these talking points,” the source said.
