IPL 2025 Auction Retention Rule: Franchise Can Retain Six Players; Change Uncapped Player Rule

Ahead of the IPL 2025 Mega Auctions, the league’s Governing Council announced new player regulations with the teams allowed to now retain up to six players, with a maximum of five capped players and two uncapped players, through retention or the Right to Match (RTM) option.

The auction purse for IPL 2025 is set at INR 120 crore, with the total salary cap rising to INR 146 crore. Notably, a match fee of INR 7.5 lakhs per player has been introduced, marking a first in IPL history.

It is left to the discretion of the franchise to choose their combination for Retentions and Right to Match, picking either Indian or foreign players, However, the six retentions/RTMs can have a maximum of five capped players (Indian & Overseas) and a maximum of 2 uncapped players.

Overseas players must register for the auction, with penalties for those who withdraw post-selection.

Additionally, Indian-capped players can be classified as uncapped if they haven’t played international cricket in the past five years. The Impact Player rule will continue for the upcoming cycle.

The move to limit the number of “uncapped players” that can be retained seems to be aimed at preventing franchises from including too many retired top stars as “uncapped” players so that the franchise can go into the auction with a bigger fund. The Chennai Super Kings have been listing India legend Mahendra Singh Dhoni as an “uncapped player” and retaining him at a throwaway price.

The IPL also informed that a match fee has been introduced for the first time in the history of the IPL. Each Playing member (Including the Impact Player) will get a match fee of INR 7.5 lakh per match. This will be in addition to his contracted amount.

The following decisions were taken in the IPL Governing Council meeting:

1. The IPL franchises can retain a total of 6 players from their existing squad. This can be either via retention or by using the Right to Match (RTM) option.
2. It is at the discretion of the IPL franchise to choose their combination for Retentions and RTMs. The 6 retentions / RTMs can have a maximum of 5 capped players (Indian & Overseas) and a maximum of 2 uncapped players.
3. The auction purse for the franchises has been set at INR 120 Crore for IPL 2025. The total salary cap will now consist of auction purse, incremental performance pay and match fees. Previously in 2024, the total salary cap (auction purse + incremental performance pay) was Rs. 110 Crs which will now be Rs. 146 Crs (2025), Rs. 151 Crs (2026) and Rs. 157 Crs (2027).
4. A match fee has been introduced for the first time in the history of the IPL. Each Playing member (Including the Impact Player) will get a match fee of INR 7.5 Lakhs per match. This will be in addition to his contracted amount.
5. Any Overseas Player will have to register for the Big Auction. In case the overseas player doesn’t register, then he will be ineligible to register in the following year’s player auction.
6. Any player who registers in the player auction and after getting picked at the auction, makes himself unavailable before the start of the season, will get banned from participating in the tournament and player auction for 2 Seasons.
7. A capped Indian player will become uncapped, if the player has in the last five calendar years preceding the year in which the relevant Season is held, not played in the starting XI in International Cricket (Test match, ODI, Twenty20 International) or does not have a Central Contract with BCCI. This will be applicable for Indian Players only.
8. The Impact Player Regulation will continue for the 2025 to 2027 cycle.

(with Inputs from Agencies)