Before the 18th season of the IPL, the player auction will take place on November 24 and 25 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Out of the 574 players shortlisted for the auction, only a maximum of 204 can be bought for the league. The 10 franchises have retained a total of 46 players, including 10 foreign and 9 uncapped Indian players. The previous mega auction in 2022 was a huge success because every franchise had to build its team from scratch. This time too, franchises will face the challenge of creating the right team combination to fight for the title. Before the auction begins, we are providing all the details, from team purses to new rules, and how many slots each franchise can fill.
First, let’s understand that each franchise was allowed to retain a maximum of six players, including the Right to Match (RTM) option. Among these, two uncapped Indian players could be retained. IPL also mentioned that a maximum of five capped players could be retained, which could either be all Indian, all foreign, or a mix of both. One player must be uncapped.
- How many players are in the IPL 2025 auction, and how many slots are available for filling?
This year, 574 players will enter the mega auction. Of these, 366 are Indian players, and the remaining 208 are foreign players, including three from associate countries. There are 244 capped cricketers and 330 uncapped players. A total of 204 slots need to be filled across all 10 franchises, with a maximum of 70 foreign players eligible to be bought. In the IPL 2022 mega auction, 509 players were part of the auction, and the 2023 mini-auction had 405 players.
- What is the IPL auction process?
First, players register to be part of the auction. This time, 1,574 players from 17 countries, including India, registered for the auction. Out of them, 574 players have been shortlisted. The players are grouped into categories like batsmen, bowlers, wicketkeepers, and all-rounders, and bids are placed sequentially for each group.
- Who are the “sold” or “unsold” players?
The auctioneer announces the name and base price of the player, and the franchises place bids by raising their paddle. If at least one franchise places a bid, the player is considered “sold.” Multiple franchises can bid on the same player, and the player goes to the franchise that places the highest bid. If no franchise places a bid, the player is considered “unsold.”
- What are capped and uncapped players?
Capped players are those who have represented their country in Tests, ODIs, or T20Is. Uncapped players are those who have not played any international match for their country.
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- What is the maximum and minimum number of players a team can have?
A team can have a maximum of 25 players, and the minimum number of players in a team should be 18.
- How many foreign players can a team have?
A franchise can have a maximum of eight foreign players in their squad of 25. However, only four foreign players can be included in the playing XI. Some teams have played with three foreign players in the playing XI, meaning a team can have fewer than four foreign players but cannot have more.
- What is the Right to Match (RTM) card? Can it be used this time?
Franchises get a Right to Match (RTM) card, which allows them to buy back their old players during the auction by matching the highest bid for that player. RTM was not used in the last two auctions, but it has returned this year. The number of RTM cards available depends on the number of players a franchise has retained. For example, if Mumbai and Chennai retained five players, they will have only one RTM card. Punjab, with only two retained players, will have four RTM cards. The use of RTM also depends on whether the retained players are capped or uncapped.
- Remaining amount for each franchise
All 10 franchises combined can spend a total of ₹641 crore in the auction. Punjab Kings have the highest remaining amount, and Rajasthan Royals have the least.
- What is the base price of players, and how is it decided?
Capped and uncapped players have different base prices. Uncapped players can register in three price categories: ₹20 lakh, ₹30 lakh, or ₹40 lakh. Capped players can choose from five categories: ₹50 lakh, ₹70 lakh, ₹1 crore, ₹1.5 crore, or ₹2 crore. Players decide their base price during registration.
- Who is the auctioneer?
While IPL has not officially confirmed, media reports suggest that Mallika Sagar will be the auctioneer. She previously handled the Women’s Premier League auction. Last year, Hugh Edmeades conducted the auction.
- What is the ‘Impact Player’ rule?
Despite objections from some franchises and former cricketers, BCCI has decided to retain the Impact Player rule. Rohit Sharma had expressed concerns that it might harm the development of all-rounders. However, IPL believes that this rule has improved the league and been beneficial from the audience’s perspective. The rule, introduced in 2023, allows a team to substitute one player in the playing XI with a 12th player. The rule will continue until 2027.
- Who is the oldest and youngest player in the IPL auction?
In this auction, 13-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi from Bihar is the youngest player, with a base price of ₹30 lakh. On the other hand, former England fast bowler James Anderson, at 42, is the oldest player. He has set his base price at ₹1.25 crore. Anderson has not played a T20 match since 2014 and has never been part of the IPL, but he has decided to enter the auction now.
- What happens if a player becomes unavailable after being selected?
If a player chosen in the auction becomes unavailable before the season starts, they will be banned from participating in the IPL or the auction for the next two seasons, unless the player’s unavailability is due to an injury or medical condition, confirmed by the player’s home board.
- Can unsold players be bought later?
There’s a misconception that unsold players cannot be bought later. Before the auction ends, franchises submit a list of unsold players, and their names are called again. Teams can choose to buy these players at that time.
- What is the Accelerated Auction?
Players who remain unsold in the initial rounds get one last chance in the Accelerated Auction. All franchises submit a list of players they want to buy, which includes unsold players or those who were not introduced earlier. These players are then auctioned once again.
