Excitement is building up for IPL 2025. Even though the auction is delayed and the season is set to be played next year, teams have already started their preparations. In the meantime, everyone is eagerly waiting to find out how many players teams will be allowed to retain before the auction. The BCCI has not yet issued any rules regarding this. Earlier, it was believed that the situation would be clarified by August 31st, but now the date seems to be extending further.
Permission to Retain Four Players Before the Last Mega Auction
In the Indian Premier League, before each auction, teams are required to release and retain players according to BCCI’s rules. Last time, teams were allowed to retain up to four players from their squad. The rule permitted retaining either three Indian players and one overseas player, or two Indian and two overseas players. The rest of the players were automatically considered released. Whether the same rule will apply this time or if there will be any changes is still unclear. However, the BCCI recently held a meeting with all IPL franchises in Mumbai to gather consensus on this matter. Since opinions varied, the announcement was postponed.
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IPL Retention Policy May Be Released in the First Week of September
The BCCI had discussed with all franchises before delaying the final decision. Initially, it was expected that the new rules would be announced by August 31st. However, according to a report from Cricinfo, the final announcement is now expected in the first week of September. Once the rules are announced, teams will prepare their list of players they intend to retain. This will increase the workload for teams and also raise the stakes for players. The fewer players allowed for retention, the more players will need to be released.
Players Also Await the Retention Policy
Interestingly, some weaker teams, whose performances have not been strong over the past two to three years, are hoping for minimal retentions so that more big players will be available in the auction, allowing them to rebuild their teams. On the other hand, teams that have consistently performed well want more retentions so they can maintain their core. This is why teams are eagerly waiting for the retention policy. It remains to be seen what the final decision will be.