IPL stars demand Rs 40 crore retention fee for 2028 auction
Some marquee cricketers may demand high sums to stay with their franchises ahead of the mega auction expected late next year, according to Cricbuzz.
Certain high-profile Indian Premier League (IPL) players are demanding a retention fee of Rs 40 crore ahead of the IPL 2028 mega auction, according to a report in Cricbuzz cited by News18.
At least two cricketers have informed their teams they will only consider staying if their financial demands are met. One player has reportedly tied his financial requirements to a captaincy role within the team.
The mega auction is expected to be held late next year. Some players may opt against retention to test their market value in the auction, similar to how Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant entered the IPL 2025 mega auction.
In the 2025 auction, Iyer secured a deal worth Rs 26.75 crore and Pant secured one worth Rs 27 crore when teams had a total purse of Rs 120 crore.
The total purse for the IPL 2028 mega auction is expected to rise to approximately Rs 150 crore. At that level, a Rs 40 crore retention would account for just over a quarter of a team's total purse.
Meeting the demands of several marquee cricketers could prove challenging for the 10 IPL franchises, as final figures will depend on the available purse for the auction.