Indian players come first in a significant upset: The rules surrounding player retentions were confirmed prior to the auction announcement, and the IPL Governing Council revealed a number of significant decisions for the upcoming mega-auction for the 2025 season of the competition.
A significant modification, particularly for high-end foreign participants, was also declared as an auction bylaw. The highest-earning Indian player’s salary during the auction would serve as the cap on overseas players’ compensation, according to a statement made by the GC.
For instance, the highest retention band of 18cr will be reached if the most expensive Indian player is sold for more than INR 18 cr. The foreign player earning cap, which is INR 16 cr, will be the second-highest retention band if no Indian player is sold for more than that amount.
The cap for international players will be determined by comparing the highest auction price and the maximum retention amount for Indian players. The player who has the lowest worth will be the cap.
Indian players come first in a significant upset to the IPL auction:
Put another way, foreign players can still fetch higher prices even if the most expensive Indian player in the auction is sold for INR 20 cr. In contrast, a foreign player will only receive INR 18 cr of the INR 21 cr they earn; the remaining 3 cr will be returned to the BCCI. The team that spends 21 crores on the foreign player will still lose money.
The GC has said that while the bidding process for foreign players will continue unhindered and be allowed to develop naturally, impacting team purses according to the player’s actual worth, any surplus value will be taken from the player and given back to the BCCI for player welfare and development.
Additional limitations for players from other countries
This is one of the measures the IPL GC has implemented to prevent foreign players from making excessive profits from the mini-auction the following year, when the players’ scarcity and the smaller auction raise their worth. Another requirement is that foreign players must have participated in the 2025 auction in order to be eligible to participate in the 2026 IPL auction.
Along with the adoption of a predetermined match price of INR 7.5 lakh each appearance for both Indian and foreign players, this is one of the major financial choices declared by the IPL GC regarding player compensation and welfare.
