(Source X)
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is reportedly gearing up to implement substantial modifications to the Indian Premier League (IPL) ahead of its upcoming mega auction. One of the anticipated changes involves an increase in the salary cap for the IPL 2025 mega auction, scheduled to occur between December 2024 and February 2025.
The IPL stands out globally as a premier cricket league renowned for its financial dynamics encompassing player contracts, broadcasting rights, and advertising revenues. Last year’s IPL auction saw Australian fast bowlers Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins breaking the 20-crore rupee barrier.
During the last mega auction in 2022, franchises were permitted to retain up to four players, with a restriction of three Indian and two overseas players. However, there have been reports indicating that several franchises have approached the BCCI to consider increasing the retention quota. This move is driven by franchises’ desire to maintain team continuity for the upcoming season of the IPL.
The BCCI is expected to raise the salary cap ahead of the IPL 2025 auction.
As per a Times of India report, there are plans to raise the IPL team salary cap significantly, potentially from Rs 90 crores to approximately Rs 130-140 crores. The proposed increase is attributed to the expansion of the IPL schedule with additional matches, as outlined by the BCCI.
“It has been pending for a while. The salary cap is likely to be increased from Rs 90 crores to Rs 130-140 crores. As per the media rights agreement in 2002, IPL 2025 & 26 will see 84 matches, while IPL 2027 will include 94 matches. It means more matches, with little gaps between them. The players are bound to ask for and expect more money,” a source said.
For the 2022 IPL mega auction, teams operated under a Rs 90 crore salary cap, with top retained players earning about Rs 15 crore from this limit. With the updated salary cap, it’s anticipated that top retained players could now potentially earn around Rs 20 crore.
In the 2018 IPL mega auction, each team had the option to retain up to five players, with three retained pre-auction and two through the RTM (Right to Match) mechanism. By contrast, in the 2022 auction, both the Gujarat Titans (GT) and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), along with the eight existing teams, were restricted to retaining four players, without the RTM provision.
Additionally, the report suggests that franchises might soon gain the ability to adjust a player’s salary based on their performance. This proposed change aims to enable teams to offer higher salaries to standout performers, thereby safeguarding them from being lured away by other teams.
“The current system doesn’t allow for a player’s salary to be increased by a franchise once he’s bought in the IPL auction. Like most jobs, there’s no provision of increment. Suppose he’s bought for Rs 30 lakh and has an outstanding IPL, the franchise should have the option of offering him, say a Rs 3 crore fresh contract for the next year, rather than lose him to some other team. This will prevent poaching by other teams,” a franchise official told TOI.
