The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is reportedly planning to allow Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises to retain five players and use one Right to Match (RTM) card for the upcoming IPL 2025 mega auction, as per reports from PTI.
This move is expected to provide a significant advantage to teams by allowing them to maintain a core group of players, ensuring consistency and reducing the need to completely overhaul their squads.
According to some BCCI officials, this rule is being considered as part of the auction guidelines for the mega event, expected to be held ahead of the 2025 IPL season.
The retention policy will particularly benefit legendary players like Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Rohit Sharma, who have been iconic figures for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Mumbai Indians (MI) respectively. With these new rules, franchises will have the option to keep such pivotal players, ensuring that they remain with the same teams and continue their legacy.
However, the specifics of the retention rules, especially in terms of the balance between foreign and Indian players among the six retentions, are yet to be clarified. The composition of Indian and overseas players within the retained group will be crucial, as it could impact team dynamics significantly.
The IPL mega auction is likely to be held in the first week of December.
