IPL 2025 rules: BCCI to ban players for pulling out after auction deal

The BCCI and the IPL governing council will ban the players for pulling out of the league after the auction deal.

In Short

• IPL announces new retention rules ahead of mega auction
• Players to face ban if they withdraw from season after getting picked
• The overseas players would need to register themselves in 'big auction'

The new retention policy ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction has been announced by the IPL governing council. New rules have been introduced for overseas players, in order to ensure a more streamlined auction and player availability process. Any international player looking to participate in the Indian Premier League must now register for the "Big Auction" ahead of the season. Failure to do so would make the player ineligible for the following year’s auction, potentially delaying their IPL career by a year.

The league has also enforced stricter guidelines for players who commit but later withdraw. If a player registers for the auction, gets picked by a franchise, and then decides to make himself unavailable before the season starts, he will face a two-season ban from both participating in the tournament and registering for future auctions. This new policy aims to ensure that franchises get reliable and committed players and also prevents teams from last-minute disruptions due to sudden player unavailability.

What the new rule implies?

The rule changes reflect the league’s attempt to maintain a balance between player flexibility and team requirements. By enforcing stricter regulations, the IPL management hopes to streamline team-building strategies and maintain the competitive integrity of the tournament, especially when it comes to overseas talent. The previous edition of the IPL witnessed many players, especially the foreign stars, pulling out before the start of the season due to professional or personal reasons.

New retention policy for mega auction

The Indian Premier League Governing Council has announced updated retention rules for the upcoming 2025 mega auction. Following discussions with all ten franchises in Bengaluru, it was confirmed that teams can now retain up to six players, compared to the previous limit of four during the 2022 auction. Teams can secure their core players either through direct retention or by using the Right to Match (RTM) card. The RTM card allows a franchise to match the highest bid made for a player they had released prior to the auction.

This new rule provides more flexibility for teams to build their squads strategically. An important detail is that for every unused retention slot from the six-player limit, teams will receive an additional RTM card to use during the auction. This change aims to enhance competitiveness and allow franchises to maintain a stable core group while still participating actively in the auction dynamics.