The IPL 2024 is over and now, the focus for the fans is IPL 2025, or rather the IPL Auctions 2025. The simple reason being, it is going to be a mega auction, where the complexion of all the teams will change massively. The fans, and experts alike, have started to wonder which top players, like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, will move to other teams, and which players the franchisees will retain.
But for that to happen, the BCCI needs to come up with the retention rules, as to how many players a team can keep. But as per a report in News18, the board is going to stick to the 3+1 formula, where the teams can retain three players, and will also have an option of Right to Match card.
No 6-8 Players Retention in IPL 2025 Auction
The report also talks about how a team official has negated the possibility of many retentions during IPL 2025 Auctions. “Increasing retentions to say 6 or eight and then also having RTMs will make auctions a useless exercise. Auctions have added to the beauty of the IPL and giving it lesser importance will not help in keeping the league in good health.”
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Loyal Fan Base an Issue
One of the problems with the 3+1 rule could be, the teams might not be able to retain the star players. And some of teams’ fan base is because of those players. Classis example is Virat Kohli, who has only played for RCB in the IPL.
“Yes, that’s a concern for a lot of teams but we can’t compare fan bases in IPL to fan bases of EPL clubs. It’s still too early for that to happen in the IPL. That is why it has happened to only handful of teams in the IPL. It will take time. And if there is desperation to make that happen, get rid of the auction and introduce a draft. Let there be a transfer system. Again, auctions bring a flavour to the IPL,” added the official.
Contrasting View – IPL 2025 Auctions Needs More Retentions
Another team official is of the view that, IPL 2024 saw some of the team identifying the core. More retentions could only help those teams. “Certain teams have not done well this season. Take Punjab Kings for instance, they didn’t qualify but have a solid few players in the mix. Players they scouted and invested their energies in. So even for those teams, increased retentions make sense and help in maintaining continuity,” said official of a team.
Meanwhile, the BCCI stakeholder and the team owners were supposed to meet during IPL 2024 to discuss the same, but the meeting was cancelled. Now, no new date has been finalised for the same, and will neither happen during the T20 World Cup.
