IPL auction. (Photo Source: X(Twitter)
In a surprising turn of events related to the Indian Premier League (IPL), the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is set to unveil an innovative incentive plan for uncapped players at the upcoming IPL auction. This big initiative aims to reward players who achieve international caps between IPL seasons.
Typically, a player is bound by the league fee for three years or until released by the franchise that acquired them at the IPL auction. However, in certain scenarios, the league fee for an uncapped player could experience a significant boost. If an uncapped player manages to participate in ten international games between two IPL seasons, their fee could double.
The BCCI, in a recent communication, outlined a fee regulation for uncapped players, emphasizing the absence of minimum league fee regulations. The key points of the regulation state that if an uncapped player, whose league fee is less than Rs. 50 Lakhs, becomes capped or achieves five or ten caps during the period from the end of one season to the start of the next, their league fee for the next season and subsequent seasons could see a substantial increase.
For instance, if the player has one cap, the league fee would be Rs. 50 Lakhs, Rs. 75 Lakhs for 5-9 caps, and Rs. one crore for ten caps or more. This fee structure remains applicable if the player is traded, impacting the new franchise’s salary cap.
To add clarity, the BCCI has differentiated between capped and uncapped players. An uncapped player is one without prior experience in the starting XI in International Cricket for an ICC Full member or without a Central Contract with their national cricket board. Players from ICC Associate member countries are considered uncapped for IPL purposes.