The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has come up with major changes to the Indian Premier League (IPL) auction system, specifically targeting the earnings of overseas players. These changes, set to take effect from the IPL 2025 season onwards, aim to create a more balanced financial structure for both domestic and international players.
One of the most notable adjustments is the new salary cap for overseas players. Starting with the 2025 auction, foreign players will no longer be eligible to earn more than the highest price paid for a player in the mega auction or the highest retention fee, whichever is lower.
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The decision comes following the record-breaking auction of IPL 2024, where Australian fast bowler Mitchell Starc made headlines by becoming the most expensive player in IPL history. Starc was signed by Kolkata Knight Riders for an astounding Rs 24.75 crore during the mini-auction. However, critics pointed out that some overseas players tend to make themselves available only for mini-auctions to take advantage of a skewed demand-supply ratio, raising concerns about fairness.
Under the new BCCI regulations, foreign players will be required to register for the mega auction if they wish to participate in subsequent IPL seasons. For instance, if an overseas player skips the 2025 mega auction, they would be ineligible to play in the IPL 2026 and 2027 seasons unless exceptions are granted for injuries or medical reasons, confirmed by the player's home board.
The BCCI has also set a salary cap for overseas players in future mini-auctions. For example, if a player like Virat Kohli is retained by Royal Challengers Bengaluru for Rs 18 crore, and Deepak Chahar is sold in the mega auction for Rs 15 crore, no overseas player will be able to earn more than Rs 15 crore in the mini-auction.
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In cases where the retention fee is higher than the mega-auction price, the lower amount will apply. Furthermore, if a franchise bids more than the cap for an overseas player, the excess amount will go directly to BCCI's bank account, not to the player.
