IPL Player Auction Explained — How Bidding, Retention and RTM Work
How the IPL player auction works: base prices, bidding rounds, retention rules, the Right to Match (RTM) card, uncapped players, overseas slots, and how franchises build their squads.
What Is the IPL Auction?
The IPL (Indian Premier League) player auction is the annual event where 10 franchise teams bid for the rights to sign players for the upcoming season. Players are listed with base prices set by the BCCI; franchises bid against each other in open auction; the highest bidder wins the player at the winning bid price. Players are bought from a global pool including Indian domestic cricketers and overseas internationals.
Retention and RTM
Before each auction cycle (typically held every 2–3 years as a mega-auction), franchises can retain a set number of players without putting them into the auction pool. The number of retentions allowed varies by auction cycle. If a player was retained but released, their original franchise gets a Right to Match (RTM) card — they can match the highest bid for that player at auction and keep them at that price. RTM usage is strategic: teams save it for players they value highly but chose not to retain upfront.
Purse and Budget
Each franchise begins with a salary cap (purse) set by the BCCI — the total amount they can spend across the entire squad. In recent auction cycles, purses have been approximately ₹90–110 crore (approximately USD 10–13 million). Each player signed reduces the remaining purse. Franchises must sign a minimum squad size (usually 18–25 players) but must always retain at least 4 overseas slots among their picks.
Overseas Player Rules
Each IPL team can have a maximum of 8 overseas players in their squad but only 4 can play in any given XI. This quota means that even if a team signs 8 excellent overseas players, 4 will always be absent from the playing XI. Teams must manage their overseas slots carefully — they may pick four overseas batters and have no overseas bowlers, or mix. The overseas quota drives the value of Indian domestic talent, as there are always 7 spots for domestic players in the XI.
Uncapped Players
Uncapped players are those who have not represented their national team at international level. They typically have lower base prices at auction (₹20–40 lakh vs ₹1–2 crore for capped internationals) but can achieve far higher prices if franchises believe they are future stars. Famous examples: Jasprit Bumrah was sold for ₹12 crore by Mumbai Indians as a relative unknown; Yashasvi Jaiswal's auction price far exceeded his base. The IPL has a strong history of identifying and fast-tracking domestic talent to international level.
Frequently asked questions
How many overseas players can play in an IPL XI?
A maximum of 4 overseas (non-Indian) players can be included in any IPL playing XI. Teams can have up to 8 overseas players in their full squad.
What happens if no one bids for a player?
If no franchise bids for a player at their base price during the auction, the player goes unsold. Unsold players can be re-entered into the auction later in the session at a reduced base price or may not be auctioned again in that cycle.
Can a player decline their IPL franchise?
Players can withdraw from the auction pool in advance. Once a player is sold at auction, they are contracted to the franchise for that season. Players can request a trade or release in subsequent cycles, but the BCCI and franchises must agree to any transfer.