Reports: IPL player retention policy to be changed from 2017

Virat Kohli has been with RCB ever since the first IPL season

According to reports, the player retention policy in the Indian Premier League (IPL) could be changed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) ahead of the 2017 edition of the marquee Twenty20 (T20) league. As per the three-year contract signed by the franchises in 2014, teams can retain up to a maximum of five players and use the “right to match” card, which basically gives them first right of refusal, for another of their players.

However, it is believed that most teams are in favour of all the players going back into the auction from 2017 onwards and that each team should be given five right to match cards to enable them to match the bid amounts for a maximum of five players if they wish to do so.

If this proposal goes ahead, the likes of MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli, who have been with Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), respectively, ever since the first season, might have to go under the hammer.

Teams pushing for the change in rules reason that it would help them avoid the hassle of having negotiations with players regarding their salaries and that they can simply buy back the players they want without having to entice them by indulging in malpractices.

However, it needs to be noted that this is just a proposal for the time being with some teams still being intent on the current policy of allowing five players to be retained to continue as they have worked hard to have a settled look to their team and would not want it to be disrupted.

With the vast gap in quality between some of the teams in the IPL over the last few seasons being palpable, the newly-elected members of the BCCI are said to be in favour of the proposal as it would redress the balance and ensure more healthy competition in the coming seasons.