IPL 2025 Retention Rules: How many players can be retained, price categories and RTM; here's all you need to know
There are certain rules that each franchise must follow. The price bifurcation declared by the IPL Governing Council has made retention difficult for most franchises.
IPL 2025 Retention Rules: The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 retention deadline is just hours away. The ten franchises are working to finalise the list of players they want to maintain ahead of the blockbuster auction. Each franchise can retain a maximum of six players, including one uncapped player.
However, there are certain rules that each franchise must follow. The price bifurcation declared by the IPL Governing Council has made retention difficult for most franchises. Those who are willing to keep the majority of their players do not want to make an enormous financial commitment. Those who were willing to let go of the majority of the players are thinking about whether to take advantage of certain rulebook loopholes.
As all ten organisations prepare to release the names of their retained players, we take a detailed look at the rules that will be followed.
IPL 2025: Retention Deadline
The deadline for all ten franchises to submit their retained player lists is October 31, 5 pm IST. While negotiations are ongoing, no extensions are expected for any of the teams.
IPL 2025: Retention price categories
Each team has been granted INR 120 crore to put together their rosters. The first player retained will have INR 18 crore deducted from the purse. The second retention will see a deduction of INR 14 crore, and the third of INR 11 crore. Interestingly, Rs 18 crore and Rs 14 crore will be deducted for the fourth and fifth deductions, bringing the total deduction for the five players to INR 75 crores.
If a team decides to keep an uncapped player, it will lose INR 4 crore from its budget. A maximum of two uncapped players can be retained. Franchises can pay more than these sums per player, but not less.
Can the Rs 75 crore quota for five players be internally adjusted?
Yes, franchises have been allowed to change salaries internally if they keep five players. For example, if the first-choice player earns INR 23 crore (Rs 5 crore more than the stipulated price of Rs 18 crore), the fifth player can be paid Rs 9 crore instead of Rs 14 crore to keep the Rs 75 crore balance untouched. If a franchise spends more than Rs 75 crore to keep a player, it has to deduct the extra money from its overall purse balance.
What if a franchise keeps one, two, three, or four players?
A single capped retention of INR 18 crore will be deducted from the franchise's purse. Two capped players will lose Rs INR 32 crore (18 14) or more, which will be removed from their overall balance. For three capped players, at least INR 43 crore (18 14 11); for four capped players, at least INR 61 crore (18 14 11 18).
How can Right To Match be used?
Franchisees can change their Right To Match and Retention lists. A maximum of six players can be retained, whether by RTM or straight retention. Even if a team does not retain a single player, it can still re-sign six players through RTM in the auction.