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The Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises might have to wait a bit longer for the new retention rules, as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is considering delaying the announcement. According to recent reports, the BCCI might push back the release of these rules until after their Annual General Meeting (AGM), which is scheduled to be held in Bengaluru on September 29.
Although there is no official link between the AGM and the IPL retention policy, many IPL officials believe that the announcement could be made around that time. However, the BCCI might still surprise everyone by revealing the rules in the coming days. For now, it seems that the new retention policy could be announced within the next 10 days to two weeks.
The BCCI initially planned to share the retention rules by the end of August. This was communicated during a meeting with IPL team owners in Mumbai last month. As the deadline approached, franchise officials reached out to the BCCI and were informed about the possible delay, with a new expected release date towards the end of September.
Despite the potential delay, it is understood that IPL teams will have until November 15 to finalize their retention decisions. The player auction, likely scheduled for December, will include the Right to Match (RTM) options, which allow teams to retain players even if they are bid on by other teams.
One of the notable discussions around the new rules is the possibility of classifying retired international players as “uncapped.” This change could affect how players like MS Dhoni and Sunil Narine are treated in the auction. While this policy might not significantly alter the auction purse, it could influence team strategies and player values.
The Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have already stated that if MS Dhoni decides to play next season, he will be one of their retained players, even if the BCCI permits only two retentions per team. Similarly, players like Sunil Narine, who retired from international cricket in 2019, could also be impacted by this potential rule change.
In summary, while the exact timing of the BCCI’s announcement remains uncertain, IPL teams are preparing for changes and will need to adjust their strategies accordingly.
