IPL Replacement Rules: When an Outsider is Allowed

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has made provisions for exceptional circumstances where partial replacements are permitted in the Indian Premier League (IPL). This provision applies to wicketkeepers and allows a team to sign a player from outside its registered squad for a short-term replacement.

Exceptional Provision for Wicketkeepers

A team can request a special exemption from the BCCI if all its wicketkeepers are unavailable for a match. In such cases, the BCCI may allow a short-term replacement wicketkeeper from outside the team's registered squad. The replacement player must be informed immediately if any of the team's specialist wicketkeepers become available to play.

Other Replacement Clauses

• A player who suffers a season-ending injury or illness may be replaced if all the necessary criteria are met.
• Apart from the exceptions noted above, replacement players will only be allowed if a player is completely unavailable for all matches in a season.
• A player's unavailability may be due to various reasons, including FTP commitment, injury, illness, retirement, or any other valid reason approved by the BCCI.
• Only one replacement player may be taken for each player that is unavailable.
• The replacement player must have been included on the Registered Available Player Pool (RAPP) list and meet certain criteria.

RAPP List and Replacement Players

• The RAPP list contains the names of players who were registered for the player auction for the relevant season.
• Franchisees who contract with players on the RAPP list to act as net bowlers must release them if another franchisee wishes to take them as a replacement player.

League Fee and Salary Cap

• The league fee payable to a replacement player will not be more than the league fee that would have been payable to the injured/unavailable player for the relevant season.
• The league fee payable to a replacement player will be ignored for the purpose of the salary cap for that season.
• If a replacement player's player contract is extended, the league fee payable to the player for the subsequent season will be charged against the salary cap for the relevant season.

Prior Approval and Compliance

• Prior to signing a replacement player, the franchisee must send all relevant information to the BCCI and await permission before concluding the arrangement.
• Franchisees must remain in compliance with the squad composition regulations when taking replacement players.