IPL Players Reportedly Seek ₹40 Crore for 2028 Retention

At least two unnamed Indian Premier League players have told their franchises they would stay for the 2028 mega-auction only if paid ₹40 crore, according to a report attributed to Cricbuzz. The reported demands are negotiating positions, not confirmed contracts, and no franchise acceptance has been reported. At least one player is said to have linked the amount to a captaincy role. The 2028 auction purse has not been confirmed. The same report put it at about ₹150 crore per franchise, a projection that would make a ₹40 crore payment roughly 27% of the available budget. The amount would leave less for assembling the rest of a squad, particularly for teams seeking to retain several high-profile players. The identities of the players have not been disclosed. The reported terms therefore do not establish which franchises are involved or whether the players will remain with their current teams. Other players could seek higher amounts by entering the auction, the report said, but no further demands were identified. The reported figure is higher than the largest sums paid to players at the 2025 mega-auction. Rishabh Pant was bought for ₹27 crore and Shreyas Iyer for ₹26.75 crore...