Despite the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 being some time away, it has already generated significant discussion. Preparations for the tournament are set to begin in the coming months, but several key issues have emerged.
The IPL 2025 is expected to feature a mega auction ahead of its 18th edition. However, there is uncertainty about whether a large-scale auction will actually occur, as some franchise owners have expressed their dissatisfaction with this plan.
On July 31, a meeting took place between franchise owners and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to discuss various aspects of IPL 2025, including what should and should not be included in the upcoming season. The meeting was lengthy but did not result in any immediate decisions from the BCCI.
Reports indicate that discussions revolved around retention policies, the Impact Player rule, and the proposed mega auction. Many franchise owners agreed that stability within their teams was important and felt that they should be rewarded for identifying and nurturing young talent that eventually becomes star players. Conversely, franchises like RCB and PBKS favored a major auction to acquire new players.
Following the meeting, the BCCI issued a statement emphasizing that they had engaged in a ‘productive dialogue’ with team owners and would consult further with the IPL governing council before making a final decision.
Since then, the BCCI has not released any additional statements. Traditionally, the auction is held in November-December, giving the governing body some time to deliberate and finalize their decision on the auction format.
IPL 2025 to have a mega auction
According to recent reports from Cricbuzz, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is determined to proceed with a mega auction for IPL 2025 and future seasons, despite some franchise owners’ reluctance. The BCCI intends to implement its plans for a large-scale auction.
The reports indicate that the BCCI is likely to permit franchises to retain up to 6 players before the IPL auction. This could potentially be combined with the Right to Match (RTM) options, which were not available during IPL 2022.
In the 2022 season, the BCCI allowed only four player retentions and did not include RTM options. The criteria for the upcoming auction and the number of players franchises will be allowed to retain remain to be clarified by the governing body.
