The IPL 2025 auction and retention rules have changed. Among the new regulations, a new rule has been introduced that will directly connect the salaries of foreign players to the highest bids for Indian players during the mega auction. This decision has been made to establish a more balanced pay structure between Indian and overseas players, ensuring that Indian cricketers remain at the core of the league’s financial system.
Overseas players’ salaries to depend on Indian players’ bids
According to Cricbuzz, as per the new regulation, the highest bid for an Indian player in the 2025 IPL auction will set the limit for foreign players’ salaries in the following year’s auction (2026). For example, if an Indian player is bought for INR 16 crore in 2025, no overseas player will be allowed to earn more than INR 16 crore in the 2026 auction.
For instance, if Rohit Sharma is retained at the highest bracket of INR 18 crore and Rishabh Pant secures the highest bid of INR 16 crore in the 2025 mega auction, then in the 2026 mini-auction, no foreign player can earn more than INR 16 crore – the lower of the two amounts.
In another scenario, if Rishabh Pant is bought in the mega auction for INR 20 crore, then the maximum salary any overseas player can receive would be capped at INR 18 crore.
Extra money to go to BCCI
As per the new rules, the bidding for an overseas player can continue until a franchise buys him, and the winning bid amount will be deducted from the team’s auction purse. However, if the bid exceeds the cap (like INR 16 crore or INR 18 crore in the above examples), the extra amount will go to the BCCI and will be utilised for players’ welfare initiatives.
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