BCCI invites IPL franchise owners for meeting to discuss road map for next season
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has called for a crucial meeting with the owners of all ten Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises on July 31 to chart out the roadmap for the upcoming season. The meeting is expected to address key issues such as player retention policy, the feasibility of the Right to Match option, and other important aspects related to the mega auction scheduled for later this year.
Sources from various franchises have confirmed that the IPL CEO Hemang Amin has informed them about the meeting, although the venue is yet to be finalized. The Board is reportedly considering hosting the meeting at its refurbished headquarters at the Wankhede Stadium premises.
In the previous mega auction, franchises were allowed to retain up to five players, with the option of using the Right to Match for additional players. However, with the entry of two new teams in 2022, the retention policy was revised, leading to each franchise retaining up to four players and the elimination of the Right to Match option.
Ahead of the upcoming meeting, there are calls from franchises to reinstate the Right to Match option and increase the number of retained players to eight. The IPL Governing Council had earlier suggested a limit of 3-4 retained players to ensure a level playing field for all teams.
The Board is taking a cautious approach and will discuss all factors with the franchises before finalizing the auction guidelines. The objective is to ensure that all franchises have an equal opportunity in the player retention process.
While player retention and the Right to Match will be the main topics of discussion, other issues such as revising the salary cap and the continuation of the Impact Player rule will also be on the agenda. Despite some players expressing dissatisfaction with the Impact Player rule in the previous season, it is likely to stay as it has been credited with making the tournament more intense and competitive by various stakeholders.