As the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) mega auction approaches, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is reportedly inclined towards retaining the existing ‘3+1’ rule for player retention.
A report on News18 Cricketnext suggests that there is considerable support for the current rule among franchises. This rule allows teams to retain three players and secure an additional one through the ‘Right To Match’ (RTM) card. Notably, not all franchises are in favor of increasing the number of retentions and RTMs.
According to a senior official, only a few franchises have the capacity to retain between six to eight players, emphasizing that not all teams can do so. The official highlights the significance of auctions in the IPL, stating that excessive retentions would diminish the excitement and competitive nature of the auction process.
“Auctions have added to the beauty of the IPL, and reducing their importance by increasing retentions would not benefit the league,” the official stated, as per CricketNext.
Franchises remain divided on the issue of player retentions, with concerns raised about the impact on fan loyalty due to frequent player movements.
