For years, IPL franchises have enjoyed one major advantage while building their squads. They could identify their key players, retain them before the auction, and plan the rest of their team accordingly. However, things could soon change. Some of the biggest stars in the league may now want much higher fees to stay with their current teams. This could force franchises to rethink how much they are willing to spend on their biggest names.
According to a Cricbuzz report, some top IPL players have reportedly asked for INR 40 crore as their desired retention fee ahead of the next mega auction. At least two players have reportedly told their respective franchises that they would consider staying only if they receive this amount. In one case, the demand is also believed to be linked to the captaincy role.
The timing makes this situation even more interesting. Franchises are currently preparing for the December 2026 mini auction, but the next mega auction is expected before the 2028 season. With another major squad-building phase approaching, teams could face a difficult decision. Would they be willing to spend more than a quarter of their total purse on just one player?
IPL Growing Purse Could Make INR 40 Crore Possible
At first, INR 40 crore might sound like an unbelievable demand. However, the IPL’s financial growth tells a different story.
When the league started in 2008, each franchise had an auction purse of INR 20 crore. Over the years, that amount continued to grow. It increased to INR 60 crore in 2014, INR 80 crore in 2018, INR 90 crore in 2022, and INR 120 crore for the 2025 mega auction.
According to Cricbuzz, the purse currently stands at INR 130 crore for the 2027 season.
The report also expects the purse to reach around INR 150 crore for the next mega auction. However, the BCCI has not officially confirmed this figure.
If the purse reaches INR 150 crore, a single INR 40 crore contract would take up around 26.7% of a franchise’s total budget. That would leave just INR 110 crore to build the rest of the squad.
This is where things could get difficult for franchises. The growing auction purse gives players more room to ask for bigger contracts. But spending such a large amount on one player could leave teams with less money to sign other important players.
There is another point worth understanding. The BCCI’s 2025-27 rules set the total salary cap at INR 157 crore for 2027. This includes the auction purse, additional performance payments, and match fees. These amounts are not the same, and the BCCI has not yet decided the actual auction purse for the next mega auction.
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How Other Major Sports Leagues Handle Superstar Salaries
The IPL is not the only major sports league where one superstar’s salary can affect an entire team’s budget. Other leagues also face this challenge, but they follow different financial systems.
The NBA offers an interesting example.
For the 2026-27 season, the NBA has set its salary cap at $164.961 million for each team. Under its collective bargaining agreement, a player’s maximum salary generally depends on his experience. It can range from 25% to 35% of the team’s salary cap.
Players with at least 10 years of NBA experience can become eligible for the highest salary level.
This allows established superstars to earn a huge share of their team’s available budget. However, the NBA also has additional rules, tax levels, and exceptions that allow teams to manage their spending. So, its system is not exactly the same as the IPL auction purse.
European football offers another example.
UEFA introduced a squad-cost limit of 70% of a club’s revenue from the 2025-26 season. This rule covers player and coach salaries, transfer costs, and agents’ fees.
However, football clubs do not work with one common auction purse like IPL franchises. Their spending power depends on their own income and the financial rules they must follow.
These examples show how different leagues handle superstar contracts. The IPL has to manage player salaries within a shared auction budget, while other competitions follow different financial systems.
Why Players Could Demand More After the IPL 2025 Mega Auction
There is already an example of players choosing the auction instead of accepting a retention deal.
Ahead of the 2025 mega auction, Rishabh Pant and Shreyas Iyer entered the auction after their previous franchises did not retain them.
Both players received huge contracts. Pant became the most expensive player in IPL auction history after Lucknow Super Giants bought him for INR 27 crore. Punjab Kings then signed Iyer for INR 26.75 crore.
Their deals showed how much franchises could be willing to pay for established players in an open auction.
Before the 2025 mega auction, the BCCI had set retention slabs of INR 18 crore, INR 14 crore and INR 11 crore. However, franchises could pay more than these amounts as long as they declared the actual payments.
Heinrich Klaasen received INR 23 crore, while Nicholas Pooran secured a contract worth INR 21 crore.
These deals could encourage other top players to ask for bigger retention fees. After all, if a player believes that several franchises will compete for his services at the auction, staying with his current team for a lower amount might not seem like the best option.
Five Superstars Who Could Enter the INR 40 Crore Conversation
The Cricbuzz report has not revealed the names of the players who have reportedly asked for INR 40 crore. Therefore, the following names are only possible examples based on their performances, previous contracts, and importance to their franchises. None of these players has been officially confirmed as someone demanding INR 40 crore.
1. Virat Kohli
Previous retention: INR 21 crore
Virat Kohli is one of the biggest names in IPL history. His importance to Royal Challengers Bengaluru goes beyond his batting performances. He also brings a massive fan following and commercial value to the franchise. RCB retained him for INR 21 crore ahead of the 2025 season. Considering his connection with the team and his overall value, Kohli could be an interesting name in the INR 40 crore retention discussion.
2. Jasprit Bumrah
Previous retention: INR 18 crore
Quality fast bowlers who can deliver in all phases of a T20 match are difficult to find. Jasprit Bumrah gives Mumbai Indians that advantage. He can trouble batters in the powerplay, control the middle overs, and handle pressure at the death. MI retained him for INR 18 crore in 2025. His match-winning ability makes him one of the most valuable players in the league.
3. Hardik Pandya
Previous retention: INR 16.35 crore
Hardik Pandya offers more than just batting and bowling options. His experience as a captain also makes him an important part of Mumbai Indians’ plans. MI retained him for INR 16.35 crore ahead of the 2025 season. Replacing a player who can contribute in so many areas would not be easy for the franchise.
4. Rishabh Pant
Previous auction price: INR 27 crore
Rishabh Pant has already proved his value in the auction market. Lucknow Super Giants spent INR 27 crore to sign him in 2025, making him the most expensive player in IPL auction history. His aggressive batting, wicketkeeping and captaincy experience make him another possible name in the premium retention conversation.
5. Shreyas Iyer
Previous auction price: INR 26.75 crore
Shreyas Iyer attracted a huge bid at the 2025 mega auction, with Punjab Kings signing him for INR 26.75 crore. His batting skills and leadership experience played an important role in his valuation. His previous auction price could also give him a strong position during future contract negotiations.
Could IPL Franchises Move Away From Traditional Retention Rules?
Another idea could change how IPL franchises build their squads. Before the previous mega auction, there were discussions about removing the traditional retention system and using only Right to Match (RTM) options.
Under RTM, a franchise gets a chance to match the highest applicable auction bid for one of its former players. This allows the team to bring the player back without agreeing to a fixed retention fee before the auction.
Supporters of this idea believe it could help players get their actual market value. Instead of negotiating a retention fee in advance, players would enter the auction and let franchises decide how much they are worth.
However, this system also has some risks. Rival teams could increase their bids if they know another franchise might use its RTM option to sign the player back.
Also, the retention system has been a major part of IPL auctions since the league began. Removing it completely would be a big change.
The INR 40 crore demand could become one of the biggest talking points ahead of the next mega auction. A bigger purse might make such contracts possible, but franchises will still need money to build a balanced squad.
Ultimately, the question is simple: Would a franchise be ready to spend a huge part of its budget on one superstar, even if it means having less money to sign other key players?
What do you think? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
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