IPL ban duration on overseas players finalised; submitted to BCCI by team owners
Published - 02 Aug 2024, 10:55 AM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 01:16 AM
Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise owners repeatedly urged BCCI to take action against foreign players who withdraw from the tournament without citing proper reasons. The issue was discussed at the meeting between IPL franchise owners and the BCCI officials in Mumbai on Wednesday, July 31.
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) recalled its players before the playoffs during the IPL 2024 season. Jos Buttler, the England white-ball captain and a player for the Rajasthan Royals (RR) franchise, said that no international bilateral series should be scheduled during the Indian Premier League.
Several IPL franchises have faced difficulties when overseas players withdraw from the tournament at the last moment. Team owners had to find suitable replacements from a limited pool of international players. In the past, Jason Roy, Alex Hales, and Wanindu Hasaranga have withdrawn from the league.
IPL Franchises Have Recommended A Two-Year Ban - Report
As per ESPNCricinfo, IPL franchise owners proposed a two-year ban for overseas players who pull out of the tournament without valid reasons after being purchased at the auction. They also suggested that all overseas players should be required to register for the mega auction rather than just the mini auctions.
"The IPL franchises have recommended a two-year ban on overseas players should they make themselves unavailable for the season after being bought at the auction without legitimate cause. They have also told the IPL to make it mandatory for overseas players to register for the mega auction and not just enter mini-auctions anticipating potentially large price tags," a report by ESPNCricinfo said.
Franchise Owners Unhappy with Players Skipping IPL Mega Auction
The report further added that the IPL franchise owners informed the BCCI that they could accept player withdrawals for valid reasons like international commitments, injuries, or family issues. Franchise owners stated that such situations should be communicated clearly during the auction to avoid disruptions.
Franchises face issues when players purchased at base price withdraw after the auction. They even provided an example where a player’s manager indicated the player would only participate if offered a higher salary than the base price.
Ahead of the 2024 season, Sunrisers Hyderabad acquired Wanindu Hasaranga for his base price of INR 1.5 crore. However, Hasaranga missed the season due to injury. SRH was reportedly unhappy with the reason. Notably, Hasaranga earned INR 10 crore during his Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) stint.
Team owners reported to the BCCI that some overseas players avoided the mega-auction to later enter mini-auctions, where they could secure higher salaries due to the smaller player pool.
They suspect some players and managers are exploiting this to increase pay. The owners said that high-profile players should register for both auctions and upcoming overseas players can register for the mini auctions.
