Fans are very excited about the IPL 2025 Mega Auction, which will take place by the end of the year. Recently, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced rules for the tournament. These rules cover player retention and a ban on foreign players leaving the league. There are also reports that the auction might be held outside of India.
Where the Mega Auction Might Be Held
The IPL 2024 auction took place in Dubai. A report from Cricbuzz suggests that the upcoming auction could be held in Saudi Arabia. The cities of Riyadh and Jeddah are being considered for the two-day event. However, neither the BCCI nor the IPL has confirmed this information. The report also mentioned that London was a possible location, but due to weather conditions, the board decided against it.
Important Decisions Made in the Top Council Meeting
In a recent meeting of the IPL top council, several important decisions were made, including those about player retention. The council has allowed IPL franchises to retain up to six players from their previous teams. There will also be a Right to Match (RTM) card available during the auction. In the last mega auction held in 2022, a team could retain a maximum of four players.
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Increase in Salary Cap
Each franchise can retain a maximum of five capped players (both Indian and foreign) and two uncapped players from the six players they can keep. This means if a team has five capped players, the sixth player must be uncapped. The auction purse for IPL 2025 has increased to 120 crores. The total salary cap now includes the auction purse, incremental performance pay, and match fees. Previously, the combined salary cap was 110 crores. This will rise to 151 crores in 2026 and 157 crores in 2027.
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Penalty for Not Playing After Being Selected in the Auction
Any player who registers for the auction and then makes themselves unavailable after being selected will be banned from participating in the tournament and future player auctions for two seasons. Additionally, any foreign player must register to participate in the mega auction. If a foreign player does not register, they will be ineligible to register for the next year’s auction.