The IPL 2025 mega auction might bring some big changes, including ones never seen before. IPL team owners are expected to meet with the BCCI by the end of July at the newly revamped BCCI office at Wankhede Stadium.
One of the main changes could be an increase in the purse value for teams. Currently, the salary cap in the IPL is set at INR 90 crore, but it might go up to around Rs 130-140 crore, according to a report in the Times of India.
A source mentioned that the IPL 2025 and 2026 seasons will have 84 matches, and IPL 2027 will have 94 matches. With more games, players are likely to ask for higher salaries.
Major changes ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction
“It has been pending for a while. The salary cap is likely to be increased from Rs 90 crore to Rs 130-140 crore. According to the media rights agreement in 2002, IPL 2025 and 2026 will have 84 matches, while IPL 2027 will have 94 matches. This means more matches with fewer gaps between them. Players will expect more money,” the source told TOI.
In the meeting between IPL team owners and BCCI, there will be some major talking points. Franchises want the option to renegotiate a player’s salary after he’s bought. Currently, there is no way to increase or decrease a player’s salary once he’s bought. A player bought for INR 30 lakhs will stay on that salary, but franchises want to be able to increase players’ salaries if they perform well.
“The current system doesn’t allow a player’s salary to be increased by a franchise once he’s bought in the IPL auction. Like most jobs, there’s no provision for a pay raise. If he’s bought for Rs 30 lakh and has an outstanding IPL, the franchise should be able to offer him, say, a Rs 3 crore contract for the next year, rather than lose him to another team. This will prevent poaching by other teams,” a franchise official said in the report.
The official also said that allowing franchises to renegotiate players’ contracts would help teams keep their best players without worrying that the player will seek a trade for a bigger pay.
Also read: Will MS Dhoni be CSK’s Mentor or a Player in IPL 2025?
Mega auction every 5 years, 5 retention picks, and 8 RTMs
In another big development, franchises have asked IPL CEO Hemang Amin to conduct the IPL mega auction every five years, with 5 retention picks allowed per side. Additionally, each franchise should have 8 right-to-match (RTM) options.
While some franchises wanted up to 8 retentions, only 5 are likely to be approved by BCCI, with discussions on the number of RTM picks each side will have.