BCCI rejects franchises’ plea as IPL mega auction set to stay

Although IPL 2025 is still some time away, discussions surrounding the tournament have already begun. The preparations for the event will commence in the coming months, but several significant issues have already emerged.

One of the most talked-about topics is the upcoming mega auction for the 18th edition of the IPL. However, there has been some uncertainty about whether this large-scale auction will happen, as some franchise owners have expressed concerns.

On July 31st, franchise owners and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) held a meeting to discuss key elements for IPL 2025. The meeting was lengthy, but no concrete decisions were made at that time.

Reports indicate that the meeting involved debates and discussions on several topics, including retention policies and the Impact Player rule. However, the central focus was the potential mega auction before IPL 2025.

Most franchise owners agreed that they needed more stability within their teams. They wanted to be rewarded for scouting and nurturing young players who later became stars. Conversely, some franchises, including Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Punjab Kings (PBKS), favored a big auction to bring in new talent.

Following the meeting, the BCCI released an official statement, emphasizing that they had a “productive dialogue” with the team owners. The BCCI also mentioned that they would consult with the IPL governing council before making a final decision.

As of now, the BCCI has not issued any further official statements. Typically, the auction occurs in November or December, as it has in recent years. This timeline gives the governing body some time to finalize their decisions.

Despite some franchises expressing reservations, recent reports from Cricbuzz suggest that the BCCI is intent on holding a mega auction for IPL 2025 and beyond. The governing body appears committed to following through with their plans, even though not all franchises are on board.

According to the reports, the BCCI plans to allow franchises to retain up to six players ahead of the IPL auction. This might include the option to use Right to Match (RTM) cards, which were absent during the IPL 2022 auction when only four retentions were permitted.

As IPL 2025 approaches, it will be interesting to see how the BCCI handles these decisions and what retention policies they ultimately put in place. The outcome will likely have a significant impact on how teams prepare for the upcoming season.