IPL 2025 retention rules: Governing Council meeting on Saturday, announcement soon

The Indian Premier League (IPL) retention rules are expected to come out soon as the Governing Council (GC) will be meeting today (28 September, Saturday) in Bengaluru.

In Short

• IPL 2025: Governing Council is meeting in Bengaluru on Saturday
• The IPL 2025 retention rules could come out on Saturday or Sunday
• IPL GC will be meeting at the Four Seasons Hotel in Bengaluru

The Indian Premier League (IPL) Governing Council is scheduled to meet today, Saturday, in Bengaluru to finalize crucial decisions for the upcoming 2025 IPL season. A member of the council confirmed the meeting to India Today, stating that the notice for the meeting was quite short, but all members are now gathered in the city to participate. The meeting, expected to take place today at the Four Seasons Hotel, will cover several important topics, including retention rules, the auction venue, and the size of the retention purse.

“We have a few key things to discuss, such as the size of the retention purse, the right-to-match (RTM) cards, and the auction venue,” the council member revealed. "We will finalize everything today, and announcements will follow accordingly.”

One of the major decisions on the table is the retention policy for IPL teams. Reports suggest that the council is considering allowing teams to retain 5–6 players ahead of the 2025 mega auction, a decision that could benefit teams like Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Mumbai Indians (MI), which have invested heavily in their core players. For example, Mumbai Indians could retain top players such as Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya, Suryakumar Yadav, and Jasprit Bumrah, while CSK might secure their stalwarts like Ravindra Jadeja, Ruturaj Gaikwad, and MS Dhoni.

The Right-to-Match (RTM) card, a rule that allows teams to match the highest bid for a player during the auction, is also up for discussion. Many franchises have expressed opposition to the RTM rule, and there is a possibility that the BCCI might eliminate it for the upcoming auction.

Following the discussions today, the IPL Governing Council is expected to present the finalized rules and decisions to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) general body on Sunday. Once approved, these rules will be made public, setting the stage for the next IPL season.

The meeting has generated significant anticipation as it will shape the strategy of franchises ahead of the mega auction, as well as lay down crucial operational details for the 2025 IPL season.