In a significant move that could reshape the dynamics of the Indian Premier League (IPL), the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has introduced a new rule imposing a two-year ban on players who declare their unavailability after being picked in the auction.
The implementation of this rule aims to address concerns about players withdrawing from the tournament after the auction, which often leaves teams scrambling to find suitable replacements. This step is expected to enhance the commitment of players towards the franchises that invest in them and ensure a more reliable and competitive tournament.
The IPL governing council has introduced significant updates for the 2025 season on Saturday, including an increased retention limit, the return of the Right-to-Match (RTM) option, and a higher auction purse, as per ESPNcricinfo.
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Franchises can now retain up to six players each, with the RTM option reinstated, and the Impact Player rule will remain in place.
For the upcoming mega auction, the auction purse has been raised to Rs120 crore (approximately $14.33 million), an increase of Rs20 crore from the previous year.
According to ESPNcricinfo, the finalised retention rules will be shared with the ten franchises soon. Notably, of the six players that franchises can retain, at least one must be an uncapped Indian player.
The other five can be either Indian or overseas players. The retention can be through direct retention, a mix of retention and RTM, or solely RTM options.
This development has been well-received by the cricketing fraternity, with former Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan expressing his approval on X.
Pathan, who has been vocal about this issue over the past two years has highlighted the growing strength and integrity of the IPL with this new regulation.
“Last two years I kept talking about this. It’s Great to see decision taken by BCCI! Players who declare unavailability after being picked in the auction will now face a two-year ban. The IPLis getting stronger in many ways.”