IPL 2025 Mega Auction: BCCI Calls Meeting With Franchise Owners, Players' Salary, Retention Numbers, Team Purse, Right To Match Likely To Be Discussed On April 16

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The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is set to convene a meeting of the Indian Premier League (IPL) team owners on April 16 in Ahmedabad. Simultaneously, the Gujarat Titans will be squaring off against the Delhi Capitals at the Narendra Modi Stadium in the city in the IPL 2024.

As per a Cricbuzz report, the BCCI has invited all ten owners of the IPL franchises to the meeting. While it is anticipated that owners may be accompanied by their CEOs and operational teams, the meeting is reportedly exclusive to owners and is expected to address significant issues.

Who will be present in BCCI Meeting with IPL team owners?

BCCI President Roger Binny, Secretary Jay Shah, and IPL Chairman Arun Singh Dhumal are expected to be in attendance at the meeting. Hemang Amin, the CEO of the IPL, is believed to have sent the correspondence regarding the meeting.

Although the agenda for the meeting has not been specified by Amin, given the sudden nature of the invitation, it is expected that the BCCI will discuss several policy decisions, particularly regarding the upcoming mega IPL auction scheduled for the following year.

"They will discuss the future direction of the IPL," a source familiar with the matter was quoted by Cricbuzz as saying.

IPL Team Owners Want Player Retention Number Doubled

The number of retentions before the auction is expected to be a key point of discussion. This topic has divided opinions within the IPL ecosystem, with different owners holding varying views. There is no apparent consensus on the number, and the BCCI is believed to be seeking a negotiated solution.

Some IPL owners advocate for increasing the number of retentions, citing the need for continuity to strengthen their brand and fan base. They even suggest that the number of retentions should be as high as eight.

Will Right To Match Card Return in IPL Auction 2025?

However, another faction prefers a smaller number of retentions and opposes such high numbers. Additionally, there is a discussion about reintroducing the Right to Match card, which was absent during the last mega-auction in 2022.

IPL 2025 To Have A Bigger Salary Cap of Players?

Another significant topic of discussion will be the salary cap, which always sparks differing opinions among various segments of the IPL setup. During the last mini-auction, the cap was set at INR 100 crore but is expected to increase, considering the significant rise in the teams' central revenue share following the BCCI's lucrative INR 48,390 crore broadcast deal two years ago.

As the last two mini-auctions witnessed a sharp increase in the players' salaries, the franchises will have to spend extra money to retain their top players. Some star domestic and international players - who are capable of triggering a bidding war between multiple franchises - will instead opt to go into the players' pool and earn double what they are currently fetching.

Take for example Jasprit Bumrah's case, the star Mumbai Indians pacer currently draws a salary of INR 12 crore while Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc attracted bids greater than INR 20 crore at the IPL 2024 mini-auction. Should the star India pacer decide to go into the players' pool, he might easily get double what he's currently being paid.