• Sportzyverse
• IPL 2024
• 07/02/2024
• 0 Comments

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has initiated the process of finalising the player retention policy for the next three Indian Premier League (IPL) seasons. As expected, the opinions of the 10 franchises have varied, but the majority have asked for more retentions compared to the last allowance. In 2021, the BCCI permitted franchises to retain a maximum of four players, with the condition that no more than three could be Indian and no more than two could be overseas players.

Franchises Request More Retentions

The franchises have requested an increase in the number of player retentions, with most teams seeking between five and seven retentions. One franchise has even suggested eight retentions. Conversely, some teams have expressed that there should be no retentions at all, and there was a request to have only Right To Match (RTM) cards and no retentions allowed. This development has emerged as the BCCI has initiated the process of finalising the retention policy. A final decision is anticipated to be announced at a meeting of the owners later this month. The meeting is expected to occur when all the owners, some of whom are currently busy with family matters, can attend.

BCCI Acting CEO and IPL in-charge Hemang Amin has recently consulted the CEOs of the franchises to gather their views on the policy and salary cap for the next three years. A mega auction is scheduled for later this year, and the BCCI, as in the past, will make a decision beforehand. Opinions were also sought on the possible inclusion of Right To Match (RTM) cards, which were not used in 2021.

Player Purse and Salary Cap Discussions

The CEOs were also consulted regarding the player purse, and opinions have varied. The prevailing view is that the salary cap could range between Rs 110-120 crore, but an increase of Rs 20 crore cannot be ruled out. Currently, the cap stands at Rs 100 crore.

Discussions have also touched on cricketing matters, particularly the Impact Player rule. It has been learned that the media rights holders are satisfied with it, although feedback from the playing side, particularly the coaching staff, has been less favourable. Nonetheless, the BCCI is expected to maintain the Impact Player rule for the time being.

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A final decision on the retention policy and other matters is anticipated to be announced at the owners’ meeting later this month. The meeting will address the franchises’ varying requests and opinions, ensuring that the retention policy aligns with the interests of all stakeholders.

As the BCCI finalises the retention policy and other crucial aspects of the IPL, the cricketing world eagerly awaits the decisions that will shape the tournament’s future.