Will the Mitchell Starc lottery no longer happen? Why was there a cap of Rs 18 crore on the earnings of foreign players:

News India Live, Digital Desk: In the last few years, we have seen a strange trend in the IPL auction. Mitchell Starc is getting Rs 24.75 crore and Pat Cummins is getting Rs 20 crore, while our own Team India superheroes like Jasprit Bumrah or Virat Kohli who lay down their lives for their teams get less money (retention amount). It always bothered the fans that how do foreign players, who come for just two months, charge more money than the Indian giants?

Well, BCCI has now made complete arrangements to catch this “injustice” and “cunning of foreign players”. A major change has been made in the rules for IPL 2026 which is quite interesting.

What is this new rule? (The 18 Crore Cap Rule)
According to the auction (mini auction) rules of IPL 2026, any foreign player Rs 18 crore (or the price of the most expensive retained player that season).

Now you will ask Why only Rs 18 crore? In fact, when ‘Mega Auction’ takes place, teams retain their best player (Top Retention) for Rs 18 crore. BCCI believes that the value of the player coming in the auction cannot be more than the ‘top player’ of that team.

What ‘game’ did the players play?
BCCI had to bring this rule because foreign players had become very smart. They deliberately withdrew their names from the ‘Mega Auction’ or did not register.
He knew that in the mega auction, the teams have less purse (budget) and more players, hence they would not get a big price there.
They would appear in the ‘mini auction’ the following year, where teams had more money and less players. There his asking price (20-25 crores) was quoted.

BCCI said, “This trick will no longer work.” Now if you leave the mega auction and try to make money in the mini auction, you will be in for a shock.

What if a bid of Rs 20 crores is received? (Where does the extra money go?)
This part is the most fun. Suppose there is a war between two teams in the auction and the price of a foreign player Rs 25 crore Reached.

• The player will get: Only Rs 18 crore.
• Remaining 7 crores: Will go into BCCI’s account (which will be used for ‘Gas and Oil’ fund or Player Welfare).

Meaning, Rs 25 crore will be deducted from the team’s purse, but not more than Rs 18 will come into the player’s pocket.