As the Indian Premier League (IPL) gears up to resume its rearranged 2025 season this Saturday, franchises have been granted the ability to sign temporary replacement players to navigate squad disruptions for the tournament's final stretch.
However, the league has stipulated that any such players brought in from this point forward will not be eligible for retention ahead of the subsequent 2026 auction.
This strategic decision by the IPL comes in response to the tournament's earlier suspension due to cross-border India-Pakistan tensions, which led to a revised schedule and ensuing availability issues for several cricketers.
While many international players are rejoining their teams, some, including Delhi Capitals' batter Jake Fraser-McGurk and Chennai Super Kings' pacer Jamie Overton, have withdrawn due to the altered timelines.
In a communication dispatched to all franchises, the IPL detailed its "reassessed" stance on player replacements under these unique circumstances. The league stated, "Given the non-availability of certain foreign players due to national commitments or personal reasons or any injury or illness, Temporary Replacement Players will be allowed until the conclusion of this tournament."
The crucial condition attached to this allowance is designed to safeguard the integrity of the player auction system. "This decision is subject to the condition that the Temporary Replacement players taken from this point forward will not be eligible for retention in the following year," the memo specified, adding that these "Temporary Replacement players will have to register for the IPL Player Auction 2026."
This measure is evidently aimed at preventing teams from using the temporary replacement window as a strategic loophole to secure players for future seasons outside the established auction framework.
Mustafizur Rahman became the first temporary signing on Wednesday, when he joined Delhi Capitals in place of Jake Fraser-McGurk. Rahman made his IPL debut in 2016 and represented the Delhi Capitals during the 2022 and 2023 seasons.
The IPL also provided clarity on players signed as replacements before the league's unexpected suspension. These individuals remain eligible for retention by their respective franchises. This group includes Sediqullah Atal (Delhi Capitals), Mayank Agarwal (Royal Challengers Bengaluru), and the Rajasthan Royals' recruits Lhuan-dre Pretorius and Nandre Burger, all of whom were signed in the 48-hour window preceding the tournament's halt.
