IPL 2022 Auction Retention Rules: Old Teams Can Keep Four Players

At most four players can be retained by the older eight IPL franchises ahead of the 2022 auction. Three players can be acquired by the two new franchises, Ahmedabad and Lucknow, from the remaining pool of players. The BCCI is yet to confirm the date of the auction, which will have a purse of Rs 90 crore (about US$12 million), a little more than the purse of Rs 85 crore available at the 2021 auction. The IPL management has discussed these and other rules in an informal meeting with the franchises.

IPL Allows Two Possible Retention Combos

Two different combinations can be applied by franchises while retaining four players. Each franchise can either go with one overseas and three Indian players or opt for two overseas and two Indian players. The franchises are free to choose from capped and uncapped Indian players to retain. Unlike the last big auction in 2018, the upcoming auction will not feature right-to-match cards (RTM) cards.

New Franchises Can Pick One Overseas and Two Indian Players

The three players that the two new franchises, Ahmedabad and Lucknow, can pick will be a combination of one overseas and two Indian players. The IPL management has not clarified whether these players will have to be picked from the pool of players left over after the older franchises pick players to retain or from the larger pool for the auction, including new additions. If the new franchises are allowed to pick their three players only from those not chosen by the older franchises, the IPL management is likely to have a player-draft system in place. A similar draft was used in 2016 when two new franchises, Gujarat Lions and Rising Pune Supergiants, replaced suspended franchises Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals for two seasons. By virtue of making the largest bid in the auction for the new franchises, Supergiants were allowed the first pick. They chose CSK skipper MS Dhoni.

Players Can Choose Not to Be Retained

Players will be allowed to choose whether they wish to be retained or sold at the auction. A player may choose to be auctioned if he wants a change of franchise or if he believes he can get a better paycheck. Franchises are likely to have to name their list of retained players by the end of November. The IPL management is yet to specify the maximum amount that a franchise can spend on a retained player as well as the maximum percentage of the auction purse the franchise can spend overall on retained players. In the 2018 auction franchises were allowed to spend up to Rs 33 crore of the Rs 80 crore purse on retained players. Franchises were allowed to combine two RTM cards and retention rights to buy back five players at the auction.

Salary Caps for Retained Players

If three players were retained by a franchise, salary caps of 15 crore, 11 crore and 7 crore, respectively, were allowed to be deducted from the purse of 80 crore, except where players were already earning more (as in the case of Virat Kohli whom RCB paid 17 crore).  If franchises retained only two players, their salary caps were 12.5 crore and 8.5 crore respectively. If a franchise chose to retain only one player, the salary cap for the player was 12.5 crores. If the retained player was uncapped, the salary cap was stipulated at 3 crore.

Big Name Exits May Affect Fanbases of Franchises

With the IPL likely to begin the process of finalising media rights for the next cycle (beginning in 2023), player retention will assume greater significance. Franchises’ fanbases could be affected by the composition of the teams. For instance, big-name players such as Warner and Rahul opting to leave their current teams could have an adverse impact on the franchises’ fanbases.