IPL 2025

IPL 2025 Mega Auction: How Teams Will Navigate the 120 Crore Purse, New Rules and Regulations

Sep. 30, 2024

With the IPL 2025 Mega Auction approaching, it's time to get familiar with the latest player regulations and prepare your fantasy sports app. The IPL Governing Council has introduced several new rules, and we’re here to break them down in the easiest way possible.
What's New for IPL 2025?
The retention rules and auction dynamics have evolved to make team building even more strategic. Whether you're managing a fantasy app or following the IPL closely, these changes are game-changers!

1. Retention Rules for IPL 2025

Flexibility is the name of the game this year! Franchises can now retain up to six players in total. This includes a maximum of five capped players (from India or overseas) and two uncapped players. Retaining uncapped players impacts the auction purse significantly—each uncapped player will subtract INR 4 crore from the total purse, leaving them with less to bid on other stars. Here’s a quick breakdown:
  • Retain six players (5 capped + 1 uncapped): INR 79 crore deduction, leaving you with INR 41 crore to play with.
  • Retain five players (4 capped + 1 uncapped): INR 65 crore deducted, giving you INR 55 crore for the auction.
This system is designed to create a more balanced competition while allowing franchises to invest in promising players.

Retention Costs for IPL 2025

Here’s how much it’ll cost to keep players:
  1. First Three Capped Players: INR 18 crore, INR 14 crore, INR 11 crore
  2. Next Two Capped Players: INR 18 crore and INR 14 crore
  3. Uncapped Players: INR 4 crore flat rate
So if a team keeps five capped players and one uncapped player, they’ll have INR 41 crore left to spend from their total budget of INR 120 crore. This forces teams to make strategic choices! Source

2. Right to Match (RTM) Card

Guess what? The Right to Match (RTM) card is back! Teams can use this card to reclaim a player they previously let go. However, there’s a catch—teams that retain six players cannot use RTMs. So, if you decide to retain fewer players, you have the chance to bring back a key player during the auction!

How RTM Works IN IPL: A Realistic Example

  1. Player Release: Imagine Team Kolkata releases star player Andre Russell before the IPL 2025 mega auction.
  2. Bidding Begins: During the auction, Team Chennai places a bid of ₹12 crores for Andre Russell.
  3. RTM Activation: Team Kolkata decides they want Andre back and activates their RTM card to match the ₹12 crores bid.
  4. Matching the Bid: Team Kolkata successfully matches Team Chennai's bid, securing Andre Russell for another season.
  5. Outcome: In the end, Andre stays with Team Kolkata, keeping the drama alive. It’s the kind of twist that makes you laugh and shake your head at the same time, like seeing your favorite character survive yet another episode!

3. Increased Auction Purse for IPL 2025

This year, teams will have a bigger purse—INR 120 crore, up from INR 100 crore in previous auctions. This increase adds even more strategy into the mix, allowing franchises to balance marquee signings with young talent.

IPL Salary Cap Breakdown

This isn't just a simple increase; it means franchises now have a total salary cap of INR 146 crore, which includes performance pay and match fees. This added flexibility enables franchises to make more strategic investments in their squads, setting the stage for thrilling matchups throughout the season.

4. BCCI introduces match fees from IPL 2025

Match Fees Introduction
  • Starting IPL 2025, players will receive a match fee of INR 7.5 lakh (approximately US$ 9,000) per game.
  • Each franchise will allocate INR 12.6 crore (around US$ 1 million) for match fees over the season, incentivizing player participation.
Impact on Player Earnings
  • This system aims to benefit players who were signed at or near their base price. For instance, Rajat Patidar, who played 15 matches in the previous season, could have earned an additional INR 1.125 crore had match fees been in place.
Addressing Bench Players
  • While concerns have been raised regarding compensation for players on the bench, the IPL maintains the separate match fee structure as a means to fairly reward active players.
SOURCE

5. Foreign Players

The cap on foreign players remains unchanged. Each team can have a maximum of four foreign players in their playing XI. This restriction ensures that local talent remains at the forefront while also keeping the competition exciting with international stars.

6. Impact Player Rule

Introduced in the 2023 season, the Impact Player rule continues to be a game-changer. It allows teams to make tactical substitutions during a match, effectively increasing their strategic options on the field. Expect this to play a crucial role in the 2025 season as well.

Why This Matters

Since the introduction of this rule, we’ve seen an uptick in thrilling finishes and close contests, making each match more exciting for fans.

7. Injury Replacements and Player Loans

In another noteworthy change, teams can now seek replacements for injured players until the 12th match of the league phase. Additionally, player loans are back, allowing teams to borrow players temporarily. This flexibility can make a significant difference in maintaining team performance throughout the season.

8. Uncapped Player Rule Revived

The IPL has also revived a rule that lets Indian players who retired from international cricket five years before the season enter the auction as uncapped players. This change opens up exciting opportunities for former stars to rejoin the league.

A Case in Point

This gives Chennai Super Kings the opportunity to retain their former captain MS Dhoni as an uncapped player. Since Dhoni last played internationally in the 2019 ODI World Cup, CSK can retain him for just INR 4 crore, a significant saving compared to the previous retention cost.

Wrapping It Up

With all these changes set for IPL 2025-2027, fans can look forward to a thrilling season filled with strategic plays and unexpected turns. As franchises prepare for the mega auction, the excitement is palpable. If you’re keen on diving into fantasy leagues or simply want to stay updated, consider using cricket APIs for the latest stats and insights. They’re an invaluable resource for anyone wanting to enhance their understanding of the game.