IPL 2018 auction: Deadline for submitting retention list announced

Yesterday, it was announced that the highly-anticipated 2018 IPL auction will take place on January 27 and 28 next year in Bengaluru. Ahead of the auction, franchises have been asked to submit the list of players they will retain, and the Governing Council will make a final list of players who will go into the auction pool.

January 4th has been announced as the deadline for all the eight franchises to submit their retention list, and the Governing Council will release the list of players who will go under the hammer on January 18, nine days before the auction.

IPL 2018 Auctions: Retention Policy explained

As per the governing council's decision, a franchise can retain five players using one of two combinations - three pre-auction retentions and two RTMs, or two pre-auction retentions and three RTMs. Either way, a franchise can retain or use RTM for a maximum of three players in the auction. Moreover, if a franchise doesn't retain even a single player before the auction, they still cannot use more than three RTMs.

RTM, which stands for Right to Match, can be availed by any team on the day of the auction. If a player (X) who played for team (Y) in the previous season, is acquired by another team (Z) in the auction, Y can use their RTM card and get X for the same amount of money for which Z bought him.

As Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals are coming back from a two-year suspension, both franchises have the luxury to retain players who represented them in the 2015 edition of the Indian Premier League and then moved to either Gujarat Lions or Rising Pune Supergiant.

It has also been announced that the franchises are allowed to spend a maximum of ?80 million in the auction.