IPL Auctions - Ready Reckoner

Why is this auction significant?

This is the big reshuffle. The team lists for all franchises have almost been wiped clean. Apart from a few players who have been retained by franchises, everyone else has gone into the auction pool and will go under the hammer. More than 500 players will be up for grabs.

So teams will, once again, get to form their core for the future. Teams will also use the auction to restructure their team and try and form a more formidable combination that can give them success. A major bidding war is likely so as to get the early-mover advantage and form the best team that can serve them well over the next few years.

There will be smaller auctions in the following years but teams by then will already have their core team and just look for minor additions.

When is it happening?

On 27th and 28th of January, 2018 in Bengaluru.

What are the purse and RTMs available for each franchise?

Each team doesn't carry the same amount of money into the auctions. There have been deductions based on the number of players retained, and the money paid to them. Here's a brief summary:

How does RTM work?

RTM stands for Right to Match. Using the RTM option, a franchise can retain a player who played for them in the previous season by choosing to match the highest bid for the player.

In case of Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals, the two teams coming back into the IPL after a two-year suspension, they can retain players who were part of their squads in the 2015 IPL and were subsequently part of either Gujarat Lions or Rising Pune Supergiant for the next two years.

For Example: If Kieron Pollard is sold for Rs 7 Cr to SRH, then Mumbai Indians can use the RTM to get Pollard for the same amount.

What are the restrictions in RTM then?

The IPL rules allow only certain permutations. There are three sets of players - Capped Indian players, Capped foreign players and uncapped players.

By a combination of retention and RTM a franchise can have only a maximum of five. Out of the five, there can only be

A. 3 Indian capped players B. 2 Capped foreign players C. 2 Uncapped players

So, CSK and MI have already retained three capped Indian players, hence their RTM cannot be used for that category. So is the case with MI. KKR, who have retained 2 capped foreign players, can use their RTMs only on the other two categories. You get the drift now.

Every franchise will have their own restrictions depending on their retentions.

What are those?

Rajasthan Royals, who have retained Steve Smith, cannot RTM more than one foreign capped player. They have three RTMs at their disposal.

Kings XI Punjab, who have retained Axar Patel, cannot RTM more than two capped Indian players. They, too, have three RTMs to use up.

Sunrisers Hyderabad, who have retained Bhuvneshwar Kumar and David Warner, cannot use RTM for more than two capped Indian players and one capped foreign player. They have three RTMs.

Delhi Daredevils, who have retained Rishabh Pant, Shreyas Iyer and Chris Morris, cannot use RTM for more than 1 capped Indian and 1 capped foreign player. They have two RTMs to use.

RCB, who retained Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers and Sarfraz Khan, cannot use RTM for more than 2 capped Indians and one each in the other two categories. They, too, have two RTMs to use.

What is the scene with Ben Stokes?

Stokes will be available for the auction but in case he is ruled out of this season, then the franchises can go in for a replacement.

So, can players be picked outside the auction?

The simple answer is no. However, injury replacements can be done over the course of a season while the Stokes scenario is a special-case one.

Are there limits on squad size or the number of foreign players that can be picked?

Yes. Each franchise will have to have a minimum of 18 players and a maximum of 25 players at the end of the auction. A maximum of eight overseas players can be picked in the squad.

Is there a minimum amount required to be spent by each franchise?

Again, yes. Each franchise will have to spend a minimum of Rs 60 Crores this season, including the amount spent on retentions. The maximum that they can spend is Rs 80 Crores.

Who are the players retained by each franchise?

CSK - MS Dhoni, Ravindra Jadeja, Suresh RainaMI - Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya, Jasprit BumrahDD - Rishabh Pant, Chris Morris, Shreyas IyerSRH - David Warner, Bhuvneshwar KumarRCB - Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, Sarfraz KhanRR - Steve SmithKXIP - Axar PatelKKR - Sunil Narine, Andre Russell