IPL retention FAQs: All you need to know about 2025 IPL auctions

Before the mega auction starts, a franchise can retain up to six players. This includes five capped players and a maximum of two uncapped Indian players. However, this is the highest ever retentions allowed in IPL history.

No. There is no limit on capped players. All the five capped retentions can be from any country and can be a formation of both Indian and overseas players depending on the choice and plans of the franchise.

Yes. Franchises do have the right to choose a mix of outright retentions and RTM cards to keep up to six players from their 2024 roster. If no player is retained, the franchise will tell all its six RTM cards. However, if the franchise retains all six players, there won't be any RTM cards left for them. It was introduced in 2014, and was used until the 2018 auction, but dropped before 2022. Previously, teams could use up to three RTM cards. Although some franchises asked for eight RTM cards, six itself will have a huge impact on the auction.

The RTM card lets a franchise buy back a player from their previous squad by matching the auction price. In past auctions, once a player was sold, the auctioneer asked the player's former team if they wanted to use the RTM to secure the player for the final bid. In the upcoming auction, if a team uses the RTM card, the highest-bidding franchise will get a one-time chance to increase their bid, The original team must then match the new bid with the RTM card to retain the player, or the player will go to the highest bidder. For example, if Mumbai Indians bid INR 6 crore for Venkatesh Iyer, Kolkata Knight Riders can use the RTM card. If MI raises their bid, KKR must watch it with the RTm to keep Iyer. If not, he goes to MI.

The auction purse for 2025 auctions is INR 120 crore. it is a 20% increase from what it was in the 2024 auction (INR 100 crore). The purse available at the last mega auction, in 2022, was INR 90 crore.

The IPl has set salary slabs based on the number of retentions. This year, if a franchise wants to retain more than three players, it will demand more money. The first three retensions have caps of INR 18 crore, 14 crore, and 11 crore. The fourth retention will cost INR 18 crore. However, the fifth retention will cost 15 crore. Uncapped Indians have a cap of INR 4 crore. Retaining five capped players would cost a franchise INR 75 crore, nearly two-thirds of its total purse.

Yes. This year, IPL reinstated a rule letting retired or inactive players participate in the tournament, but under the tag of uncapped players. Thus, it is clear that Chennai Super Kings can retain their former captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, but as an uncapped player. Other international players like Piyush Chawla, Mohit Sharma, and Sandeep Sharma also fall under the same rule. However, there will be a change in their retention price, Say for example, even if CSK is willing to pay a hefty sum, they can only retain him at INR 4 crore.

October 31, 2024, is the last date to finalize the retention list for the IPl 2025 auction. But here is a twist. If any player gets to debut in the internationals, after getting retained, he will continue in the IPL as an uncapped player.

Yes. Any overseas player who skips the IPL after being sold to a team will face a two-year ban. This is a request made by the governing council to all the ten IPL teams, in July. Furthermore, players who do not register for the mega auction cannot participate in the mini auction, except for injuries or medical issues verified by their home board.

The auction process for overseas players will proceed as usual until the player is sold, with the final amount deducted from the team's budget. However, any amount exceeding the "maximum fee" will be deposited with the BCCI. For instance, if a franchise bids for an overseas player at the next mini-auction, starting from INR 16 or 18 crore and reaching INR 24 crore, the player's fee will be either INR 16 or 18 crore (the "maximum fee"). The surplus amount (INR 8 crore or 6 crore) will go to the BCCI for player welfare.

Yes. The franchises do have the right to adjust their purse, This, however, happened in 2021. Punjab Kings retained Mayank Agarwal and the then uncapped Arshdeep Singh. As per the IPL regulations, INR 14 crore was deducted from PBKS' purse, and INR 4 crore for that of Arshdeep. This, thus left the team with 72 crore in the purse. Well, if we look at Delhi Capitals, they have retained Rishabh Pant (INR 12 crore), Axar Patel (INR 9 crore), Prithvi Shaw (INR 7.5 crore), and Anrich Nortje (INR 6.5 crore). The IP< retention rules set deductions at INR 16 crore, INR 12 crore, INR 8 crore and INR 6 crore. DC paid INR 39 crore overall, exceeding the limit for Nortje by INR 2.5 crore, resulting in a total purse deduction of INR 42.5 crore.

Yes. They can.