BCCI permits five retentions, IPL franchises ready to retain core players ahead of mega auctions: Report

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has made the decision to eliminate the Right to Match (RTM) option for the upcoming Indian Premier League auction. Instead, the board is considering allowing franchises to retain up to five players. While the final decision on player retention has yet to be announced officially, a report from the Indian Express suggests that teams will have the option to retain five players without the RTM provision for re-signing released players during the mega auction.

The majority of IPL franchises want to retain five or more players to give them continuity and the chance to protect their brand value. The retention of five players will allow the teams to get their core team back on the board and then they can build around them through the mega auction.

The IPL had allowed the teams to retain up to four players in the last mega auction held in 2022.

A three-year cycle has ended, and another mega auction is on the horizon, but teams have contrasting views on player retention.

Last month, BCCI met with the IPL franchise owners to discuss the player retention policy. The IPL franchises, which had good results in the past season, didn't want to shake the balance of their side and wanted the BCCI to allow more than three retentions. They have invested heavily in some young players and helped them grow, but there is a high chance of them going under the hammer in the case of only three retentions. Meanwhile, some teams who have failed to get results recently want a mega auction to go all guns blazing.

"The Board of Control for Cricket in India on Wednesday organised a constructive dialogue with the owners of the 10 franchises on various subjects pertaining to the upcoming season of the IPL," Jay said in a release last month.

"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," Shah added in the release.