The 10 Indian Premier League franchises may find themselves in big financial trouble ahead of the IPL 2028 mega auction, which is expected to be held late next year, with certain big-ticket players demanding a whopping Rs 40 crore retention fee, according to a report in Cricbuzz.
Holding on to some of their marquee cricketers could prove challenging, with a few demanding significantly higher sums to extend their association with the team, according to the report.
At least two cricketers have told their respective teams that they would consider staying on only if their financial demands are met, according to the report. More could follow suit, especially those who believe they can command bigger deals by entering the IPL 2028 mega auction.
There
is a precedent for cricketers snubbing retention to test their value at the auction. Punjab Kings skipper Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant both entered the IPL 2025 mega auction after opting against retention by their respective teams, eventually bagging deals worth Rs 26.75 crore and Rs 27 crore.
As per the report, at least one of the cricketers has tied his financial demands to a captaincy role within the team.
But these figures must be viewed in the context of the overall purse available to teams. Pant’s Rs 27 crore deal came at a time when teams had a total purse of Rs 120 crore.
For the IPL 2028 mega auction, the total purse is expected to rise to around Rs 150 crore, in line with the pattern of periodic increases. At that level, a Rs 40 crore deal would consume just over a quarter of a team’s total purse.
While it would still represent a significant financial commitment, the projected increase in the overall purse is an important factor to consider.
For teams looking to retain several marquee cricketers, meeting such demands could prove challenging. The final figures will depend, among other factors, on the purse available to teams for the mega auction.
