The governing council of the Indian Premier League cricket tournament today increased the purse size of franchises for auction of players and decided on the number of players that could be retained by teams in the coming seasons. It also decided the number of matches to be played in the tournament's seasons between 2011 and 2013.
The Council raised the purse of franchises by 28 per cent from the figure set for the 2010 season, to $9 million (Rs 42 crore) for the players' auction. At the inaugural players' auction in Mumbai in February 2008, each franchise had $5 million to spend. In the second season, $5 million was the cap for the auction held in Goa and for the third auction, for 2010, held again in Mumbai, each franchise was allowed to spend $7 million.
The Council also decided to allow the original eight franchises to retain a maximum of four players, including three Indians. Retention of players would result in a reduced amount available with each franchise, with amounts of $1.8 million per annum for the first player so retained, $1.3 million, $0.9 million and $0.5 million, respectively, for the other three players reduced from its kitty. This is irrespective of the actual fee to each of these players. If a franchise retains four players, its salary cap will be charged by $4.5 million in each of 2011 and 2012 and it will have only $4.5 million left to pay as player fees for the remainder of its registered squad.
The Council said the number of foreign players in any squad should not be more than 10, with no more than four on the field. The squads have been capped at 30 members each.
BCCI to sign contracts
“All player contracts will now be managed by BCCI (the Board of Control for Cricket in India, the parent body) and signed by BCCI, along with the franchise and the player. A new player registration and contract management process will be detailed soon. No player contracts can be signed until then,” the Governing Council said.
For the two new franchises, Kochi and Pune, which will participate in the 2011 season of the IPL, they will be given a choice of signing up players from the pool before the auction. “Up to and including four players per franchise may be signed from the list of players who were not a part of the squad of any of the teams in the past three IPL editions. However, the list of players who are available for such franchise will be provided by IPL based on the registered list of players,” said the Council.
Irrespective of the actual fee to be paid to each player, the same salary caps will be charged for players’ retention which is applicable to the original eight franchises. “Thus, if a new franchise signs four players, its salary cap will be changed (lowered) by $4.5m in each of 2011 and 2012 and it will have only $4.5m remaining to pay as player fees for the remainder of its registered squad,” the Council said.
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The coming three seasons of IPL will have 74 matches (70 league matches and four playoff ones), with each team having the same number of matches as in the previous IPL editions. There will be one league table, with teams divided into two groups of five teams each. Each would play the other four teams in its group twice, home and away; four of the five teams in the other group once, home or away; and, one of the five teams in the other group twice, home and away.
“The groups will be decided by a random draw, and similarly, which team will play the other from the other group twice (home and away) or once (home or away) will also be decided by a random draw. This ensures all franchises will have the same number of matches at home as in the previous editions. The timelines for this will be finalised soon,” BCCI secretary N Srinivasan said in a statement.
The Council worked out a revised structure for playoffs for future seasons. In the first playoff game, A, the 1st vs 2nd teams will clash; in the playoff game B, the 3rd vs 4th teams will battle it out. In the playoff game C, the winner of game B vs the loser of game A and in the final game D, the winner of game A vs the winner of game C will fight it out for the trophy.