BCCI announces bumper pay rise: IPL players to earn Rs 7.5 lakh per match starting 2025

The Indian Premier League (IPL) players are set to receive a significant pay increase following an announcement by Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Jay Shah on his X handle on Saturday. Shah confirmed that starting from IPL 2025, players will earn Rs 7.5 lakh per match. This means, Shah said, a cricketer playing all league matches in a season will get Rs. 1.05 crores in addition to his contracted amount.

“In a historic move to celebrate consistency and champion outstanding performances in the #IPL, we are thrilled to introduce a match fee of INR 7.5 lakhs per game for our cricketers! A cricketer playing all league matches in a season will get Rs. 1.05 crores in addition to his contracted amount,” Shah wrote on X.

“Each franchise will allocate INR 12.60 crores as match fees for the season! This is a new era for the #IPL and our players!” he added.

This is the first time IPL will implement a match fee system, as players previously earned only through their contracts. The announcement brings a substantial financial boost for emerging players, as the IPL governing body has mandated a total match fee of INR 12.60 crores ($1.5mn) per franchise for the season.

Five retentions, one RTM per side
According to ESPNcricinfo, the IPL governing council is likely to approve five retentions per team along with a Right to Match (RTM) option. Although the base price for each retention has yet to be determined, this move would allow teams to retain up to six players from their current squads.

The specific number of Indian or overseas retentions is not confirmed, but franchises like Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings could benefit, as they face challenges in keeping their star players.

RTM, in the context of the Indian Premier League (IPL), it is a rule that allows a franchise to retain a player by matching the highest bid made for that player during the auction. If a franchise has used up all its retention slots but still wants to keep a player, the Right to Match option gives them one more opportunity to secure that player by matching the final auction price.

IPL introduces two-year ban for foreign players withdrawing after auction

The Indian Premier League (IPL) has implemented a new rule banning foreign players from future seasons if they withdraw after being selected at the auction. Players who pull out after being bought, except in cases of a medical issue confirmed by their home board, will face a two-year ban.

This decision, requested by franchises, aims to prevent foreign players from leaving teams in difficult situations and disrupting game plans. According to a report from cricket news site ESPNCricinfo, a document shared by the franchises outlined the retention rules.

“Any player who registers for [an] auction and after getting picked at the auction, makes himself unavailable before the start of the season, will get banned from participating in the IPL/IPL auction for two seasons,” the document stated, with the exception being “an injury/medical condition, which will have to be confirmed by the [player’s] home board.”

Additionally, foreign players must register for the mega auction in order to participate in the following mini auctions, a measure aimed at preventing players from targeting high payouts in mini auctions, where franchises often spend heavily.

“Any overseas player will have to register for the big auction. In case the player does not register, then he will have to miss the subsequent small auction. The only exception will be in case of an injury/medical condition, which will have to be confirmed by the [player’s] home board before the big auction.”

Moreover, a cap has been introduced on the fees foreign players can receive in the mini auction. As per the IPL document: “Any overseas player’s auction fee at small auction will be lower of the highest retention price [of INR 18 crore] or the highest auction price at the big auction. In case the highest auction price at big auction is 20 crs [INR 20 crore], then 18 crs [INR 18 crore] will be the cap. If the highest auction price at big auction is 16 crs [INR 16 crore], then the cap will be 16 crs [INR 16 crore].”

MT