(Source X)
The BCCI convened a formal gathering with all 10 IPL franchises in Mumbai on Wednesday, July 31st, to deliberate on the path ahead for IPL 2025. Following the discussions, several key insights emerged, prompting the BCCI to announce that a decision would be reached by the end of August.
Topics under debate included the designation of impact players and the number of retentions. Notably, franchises like KKR and SRH expressed reservations about mega auctions, citing concerns that such events could undermine the efforts invested in building competitive squads.
During the meeting, there was a notable exchange between KKR owner Shahrukh Khan and Punjab Kings co-owner Ness Wadia, although Wadia clarified that any perceived tension was unfounded.
Among those present were Sanjiv Goenka from Lucknow Super Giants, Rupa Gurunath from Chennai Super Kings, Manoj Badale from Rajasthan Royals, and Prathmesh Mishra from Royal Challengers Bangalore. The Ambani family, owners of Mumbai Indians, participated via video conference.
Following the conclusion of the meeting, the BCCI issued a statement indicating their intent to review the feedback from franchises before making a final decision, which is anticipated by the end of the month.
BCCI to assess feedback with IPL Governing Council before final decision.
“The franchise owners tabled feedback on player regulations and other commercial aspects, including central merchandising, licensing, and gaming, The BCCI will now take these recommendations to the IPL Governing Council for further deliberation and evaluation before formulating the IPL player regulations,” the BCCI said in a media release.
The discussions at the meeting revolved around two contentious issues: player retention and the Impact Player designation. Kavya Maran, co-owner of SRH, passionately advocated against imposing caps on the number of retentions for overseas players, as well as capped and uncapped Indian players. She emphasized that franchises are keen to retain a significant portion of their squads.
Additionally, Maran urged the BCCI to consider imposing penalties on overseas players who withdraw from the tournament due to injury or personal reasons after initially committing to participate in the auction. This suggestion stemmed from recent events where an overseas player, previously with RCB on a significantly higher salary, joined SRH for a lower sum, prompting speculation about potential motivations.
“After being selected in the auction, if a player doesn’t come to play the season for any reason apart from injury, he should be banned,” she said. Maran however, did not name the Sri Lankan all-rounder.
The Impact Player rule emerged as a significant focal point during the discussions, with Delhi Capitals owner Parth Jindal advocating for its elimination. Jindal argued that the rule restricts the contributions of all-rounders, especially Indian ones. This sentiment was echoed by Rohit Sharma during IPL 2024, who also voiced opposition to the Impact Player rule for similar reasons.
Moving forward, the BCCI and the IPL governing council will deliberate on the array of suggestions presented by franchise owners before finalizing the rules governing IPL player retention.
