The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has prepared a fresh blueprint for the future editions of the Indian T20 League, with the plan likely to come into effect between August 2021 and January 2022.
The blueprint announced on Monday, July 5, as per Times of India, includes the league expanding to 10 teams, new player retention rules, an increase in salary purse for the mega auction, and media rights auction.
The Indian T20 League, which currently has eight franchises, is set to feature 10 teams for the first time since the 2011 edition. The BCCI will bring out the tender documents for the two new franchises in mid-August, while the bidding process for the same is slated to begin around the final of the 2021 Indian T20 League in the UAE.
The BCCI has also increased the salary purse from INR 85 crore to INR 90 crore. With an INR five crore increase going into the next few seasons, the total salary purse for each team is expected to be at a figure of INR 100 crore ahead of Indian T20 League 2024. This means that INR 50 crore will be added to the total salary pool among the 10 franchises, while they must mandatorily spend only 75 per cent of their total purse.
Following the increase in the purse cap, the BCCI announced that Indian T20 League franchises can now retain four players ahead of the mega auction. The structure, however, is subject to change going forward.
While teams are allowed to retain four players, they must adhere to the following condition: three Indian players and one overseas player, or two Indians and two overseas players.
The Indian T20 League teams who retain players have to deduct specified amounts from their total salary purse ahead of an auction. Figures are stipulated below:
- If three players retained: INR 15 crore, INR 11 crore and INR 7 crore
- If two players retained: INR 12.5 crore and INR 8.5 crore
- If one player retained: INR 12.5 crore
Lastly, the BCCI has lined up a mega media-rights auction towards the end of 2021. With OTT platforms seeing a massive rise in viewership value in contrast to traditional broadcasting channels, the BCCI will auction the rights for the 2023 edition of the Indian T20 League following the end of their five-year contract with STAR.
The second half of Indian T20 League 2021 will begin on Sunday, September 19. The remaining matches will be played between September 19 and October 15 in the UAE, after the BCCI suspended the competition due to rising COVID-19 cases in India in May.
Featured image: Twitter / Indian Premier League
