IPL retention policy: New teams to get 3 picks, existing teams can retain 4

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Saturday confirmed the retention policy for next year’s edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), which will see the introduction of two new teams to the eight existing franchises. 

According to the new policy, the eight original franchises will be able to retain a maximum of four players while the two new teams can choose three players each outside the auction, PTI reported.

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“The 8 existing team will first get the opportunity to retain a maximum of 4 Players and thereafter the 2 new teams will be able to retain a maximum of 3 players before the auction,” the BCCI said in a mail to the franchises, according to Cricbuzz.

The BCCI has also set the salary cap for players at Rs 90 crores. Meanwhile, retaining four players will cost a franchise Rs 42 crores, while retaining three players will lead to a deduction of Rs 33 crores, a senior official told PTI. 

“Two players retained will mean that Rs 24 crore is deducted while a single player retained means that one has to shell out Rs 14 crore out of the 90 crore purse,” he added.

He also informed that retention amount and the amount paid to the player is not always the same.

In case of four retentions, it could be either three Indians and one foreign player or at the maximum two Indians and as many foreigners.

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In case of the two new franchises, when they are allowed to select from the pool, they will have the right to pick two Indian and one foreign players from the available pool.

In case of uncapped players, the old franchises will get two picks and new ones will have one choice.

The letter stated that the entire month of Novemver could be used for retention by eight old franchises and then from December 1-25, Lucknow and Ahmedabad would get a chance to pick their three players before the auction in early January.

In case of salary purse deductions per player, there are separate figures for four distinct slabs.

In case of ‘Slab 1’ and four players retained — ‘Player 1’ will be valued at Rs 16 crore, ‘Player 2’ at Rs 12 crore, ‘Player 3’ at Rs 8 crore and ‘Player 4’ at Rs 6 crore.

Therefore, the total purse deducted will be Rs 42 crore and that franchise will have Rs 48 crore to play with at the big auction.

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In case of ‘Slab 2’, ‘Player 1’ is valued at Rs 15 crore, ‘Player 2’ at Rs 11 crore and ‘Player 3’ will have Rs 7 crore earmarked for deductions.

Therefore the total of Rs 33 crore will be deducted from full purse and that particular franchise will have Rs 57 crore to bid at auction.

For ‘Slab 3’, in which two retentions are possible, ‘Player 1’ is valued at Rs 14 crore and ‘Player 2’ at Rs 10 crore and a total of Rs 24 crore deducted from the purse.

The franchise, which opts for two retentions, will go in with Rs 66 crore at auction.

‘Slab 4’ will have only one retention available for Rs 14 crore and Rs 76 crore available for auction buy.

However, in case of an uncapped player being retained, the deduction will be Rs 4 crore.