Sun Sep 29 04:59:42 UTC 2024: ## IPL Auctions Get Overhaul: Overseas Players’ Earnings capped, Mega Auctions become Mandatory

**Mumbai, India:** In a bid to curb exorbitant spending on overseas players and promote long-term team planning, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced significant changes to the Indian Premier League (IPL) auction system.

Effective from the 2025 season, overseas players will no longer be able to command astronomical prices in the mini-auction. The BCCI has implemented a new regulation that restricts overseas players’ earnings to a maximum set by the highest retention fee or the price fetched by a player in the previous mega auction.

This change comes in the wake of Australian fast bowler Mitchell Starc’s record-breaking INR 24.75 crore price tag in the IPL 2024 auction. His hefty price tag sparked criticism, with many alleging that some overseas players participate solely in mini-auctions to leverage the skewed demand-supply dynamic.

To further regulate player availability, overseas players who wish to participate in the 2026 and 2027 seasons will now be required to register for the 2025 mega auction. Exceptions will be made for players with injury or medical conditions, subject to confirmation from their home board.

Under the new system, the maximum an overseas player can earn in a mini-auction will be the lesser of the two: the highest retention fee paid to a player or the highest price achieved by a player in the mega auction.

For instance, if Virat Kohli is retained by Royal Challengers Bengaluru for INR 18 crore and Deepak Chahar is bought for INR 15 crore in the 2025 mega auction, no overseas player can earn more than INR 15 crore in the subsequent mini-auction.

The BCCI will retain any bids exceeding the designated maximum, ensuring the extra money goes to the board’s coffers and not the player. This change is expected to foster greater financial stability and strategic team building in the IPL, encouraging franchises to invest in long-term player development.

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