Kavya Maran proposes rule changes ahead of IPL 2025 auction

Sunrisers Hyderabad owner Kavya Maran has proposed a radical rule change ahead of the upcoming IP 2025 auctions. Sunrisers Hyderabad finished as the runners-up during the IPL 2024 season. Kavya Maran has supported the call for more retentions ahead of the next auctions. 

Kavya Maran while speaking to the media said "We can use it as four retentions and two RTMS, or all six retentions, or all six RTMS and so on. The choice on whether a retention or RTM is used should be with the franchise based on discussions with the player."

Earlier this week the Board of Control for Cricket in India had organized a meeting with all ten team owners. The biggest bone of contention was the fact most of the owners wanted maximum retentions. Punjab Kings as per reports on the other hand wanted all the teams to go in with no retentions. 

Kavya Maran comes up with ideas for IPL retention rules 

Sunrisers Hyderabad owner Kavya Maran while speaking to the media also said “There have been numerous instances in the past where a player has preferred to go to the auction when he has felt that the retention amount is on the lower side. There have also been instances where multiple players have felt that they should be the first retention, and if not retained as first, they have asked to be put in the auction instead. To avoid this, we can give the players the chance to either be retained or RTM at the market discovered price, ensuring that the player is not disgruntled about the retention price."

Many team owners are also advocating a ban or some sort of harsh punishment for players who withdraw from the IPL. Few international players enrol themselves in the IPL Auction but pull out at the last moment. Even Kavya Maran seems to seconding the move for calls of such harsh measures. 

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While addressing this issue, Kavya Maran said “If only retentions are allowed, there is a good possibility that franchises will pay their retained players more than the retention value through side contracts. But with RTMs, a player gets the market price in the auction within the restrictions of the purse and this will ensure that the purse decides and restricts the purchasing power of all franchises and not the bank balance of the franchise... It will also ensure transparency and maintain the integrity of a brand as prestigious as the IPL. After being selected in the auction, if a player doesn't come to play the season for any reason apart from injury, he should be banned,"