The BCCI may delay announcing the IPL retention rules, possibly pushing the decision to the end of September, around the time of their Annual General Meeting (AGM) on September 29 in Bengaluru. Though there’s no direct link between the AGM and the IPL policies, some IPL officials expect the announcement to take another 10 to 14 days.
Initially, the retention rules were supposed to be out by the end of August, but the BCCI has hinted at a delay. Franchises may now have until November 15 to finalize their retention choices, with the player auction expected in December. The auction will likely include the Right to Match (RTM) option.
One major consideration is whether retired international players will be classified as uncapped. While some speculate this could benefit Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and allow MS Dhoni to continue playing, the BCCI is said to be making the decision in the league’s overall interest. CSK officials have also stated that Dhoni would be one of their retentions if he plays next season, even if only two retentions are allowed.
This change could also affect players like Sunil Narine, who retired from international cricket in 2019. However, it is believed that classifying retired players as uncapped won’t have a major impact on the auction purse, as a percentage of the purse will be deducted based on the number of retentions.