IPL Players Demand INR 40 Crore for 2028 Mega Auction Retention

Ahead of the IPL 2028 mega auction, several high-profile players have informed their franchises that they will only agree to retention contracts if they are paid INR 40 crore. These demands, which surfaced before the November 17 retention deadline for IPL 2027, signal a significant escalation in player valuations and are poised to exert considerable pressure on franchise budgets, Crictracker reported. In at least one instance, the INR 40 crore demand is also coupled with a captaincy condition.

This INR 40 crore figure far surpasses the retention slabs prescribed by the BCCI for the 2025 mega auction, which were INR 11 crore, INR 14 crore, and INR 18 crore. The IPL 2027 mini-auction is scheduled for December 16, 2026, in Goa, marking the final cycle before the 2028 mega auction. The retention deadline for IPL 2027 was recently extended to November 17, 2026, from its original date of November 15, 2026, with no cap on the number of retentions a franchise can make for this mini-auction.

The context for these elevated demands stems from the 2025 mega auction, where players who opted for the auction route over retention secured significantly higher earnings. Rishabh Pant, for example, declined a retention offer and was subsequently bought by Lucknow Super Giants for INR 27 crore. Similarly, Shreyas Iyer chose against retention and fetched INR 26.75 crore, both comfortably exceeding the highest prescribed retention slab of INR 18 crore. Overseas players like Heinrich Klaasen (INR 23 crore) and Nicholas Pooran (INR 21 crore) also commanded sums well above the retention ceiling, demonstrating the lucrative nature of the open market for elite players.

The total franchise purse at the 2025 mega auction stood at INR 120 crore per side, with the purse for the upcoming 2027 season confirmed at INR 130 crore. While not formally confirmed, the purse for the 2028 mega auction is expected to increase to around INR 150 crore per franchise. This trajectory aligns with historical increases: the IPL purse was INR 20 crore in 2008, rose to INR 60 crore in 2014, climbed to INR 80 crore in 2018, reached INR 90 crore in 2022, and jumped to INR 120 crore for the 2025 mega auction.

The 2025 retention cost structure involved a fixed deduction from a franchise's purse, where retaining five players resulted in an INR 75 crore deduction. Cricbuzz quoted the rule stating, "If the combined amount exceeded INR 75 crore, the actual amount was deducted. If it was lower, the deduction remained INR 75 crore." This meant franchises retaining players at prescribed slabs often faced the minimum INR 75 crore deduction regardless of the combined total. The BCCI has not yet announced the retention rules or deduction slabs for the 2028 mega auction. A single INR 40 crore retention would consume over a quarter of the anticipated INR 150 crore purse, complicating squad building through the auction for franchises.

What to watch: The BCCI's announcement of retention rules and purse adjustments for the 2028 mega auction.

Editor's note: The article is exceptionally well-researched, incorporating all historical data, specific figures, and contextual explanations provided in the source text.