EXPLAINED: Player Replacement Rules In IPL 2025

The IPL season hasn't even started yet, but there's already been a lot of activity with player replacements. Some replacements have gone through smoothly, but one has stirred up legal trouble.

Replacements Confirmed So Far

• Kolkata Knight Riders have brought in Chetan Sakariya to replace Umran Malik.
• Mumbai Indians have signed Mujeeb-ur-Rahman in place of Allah Ghazanfar.
• Sunrisers Hyderabad have picked up Wiaan Mulder to cover for Brydon Carse.

All these changes were made without any complications. However, things have become tricky with Corbin Bosch, who has replaced Lizaad Williams in the Mumbai Indians squad. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is reportedly considering legal action against Bosch for breaching his PSL contract to play in the IPL. Bosch was signed by Peshawar Zalmi in the Diamond category (worth around USD 60,000–80,000 or ₹50–75 lakh) but chose to join the IPL instead.

Potential Changes at Lucknow Super Giants

The Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) could also make a couple of replacements. They might bring in Shardul Thakur or Shivam Mavi to cover for any of the three injured pacers – Mayank Yadav, Mohsin Khan, and Avesh Khan if their injuries are confirmed to be season-ending.

How do the player replacement rules work in the IPL?

To be eligible as a replacement player, a player must have their name listed in the Registered Available Player Pool (RAPP) for that season. Their league fee for the full season, based on 100% availability, should not be lower than the reserve price they set in the RAPP list.

Sometimes, franchises have bowlers listed in the RAPP list as net bowlers. However, if another franchise wants to sign one of those bowlers, the original franchise cannot stop them. Also, if a team wants to bring in a replacement player, they can sign them for a fee that is equal to or less than the league fee of the player being replaced.

"If a Replacement Player is recruited during a season, the League Fee actually paid to him will be reduced to take account of the Franchisee's Matches during the relevant season which took place before he was registered and any other relevant deductions under the Player Contract," the rule explains.

How do the replacement rules impact the salary cap?

"The League Fee payable to any Replacement Player signed pursuant to this paragraph 6 will be ignored for the purpose of the Salary Cap for that Season. If a Replacement Player's Player Contract is extended in accordance with its terms, the League Fee payable to the Player for the subsequent Season will be charged against the Salary Cap for the relevant Season." BCCI states.

The usual IPL rules apply here. When picking replacement players, the franchises must make sure they follow the squad limit of 25 players.

If a franchise signs a replacement player during the 2025, 2026, or 2027 season, they have the right to extend the player's contract for the following season, if they choose to.

"For the avoidance of doubt, if a franchisee extends the contract of a replacement player, he shall, for any relevant subsequent season, be treated as any other player for the purpose of the squad composition regulations and the salary cap," the BCCI states.

If a team needs to replace a player in the middle of the season after they've already played a match, the rules state that.

i) The said injury or illness occurs during or before the 12th League Match of the relevant Team in the Season;

"ii) a doctor nominated by the BCCI confirms that the injury or illness is season-ending (i.e. it means the Player will not be match fit until after the end of the Season (including the Playoffs));

iii) absent the injury or illness, the Player would have been available for all of the remaining Matches in the Season; and

iv) as a result of the injury or illness the Player would miss the remaining League Matches in that Season.

NB: In such circumstances, the Player who is replaced may not play for the Franchisee again in any Match during the relevant Season."

Replacement Player Salaries

• Kolkata Knight Riders: Chetan Sakariya (INR 75 lakh, base price) for Umran Malik (INR 75 lakh, base price)
• Mumbai Indians: Mujeeb-ur-Rahman (INR 2 crore) for Allah Ghazanfar (INR 4.8 crore)
• Sunrisers Hyderabad: Wiaan Mulder (INR 75 lakh, base price) for Brydon Carse (INR 1 crore, base price)

The tricky part is Bosch’s situation. If PCB takes legal action, it could create a complicated situation. Bosch’s choice to leave his PSL contract for the IPL gig may lead to penalties or bans, but that’s something that will unfold in the coming weeks.

ALSO READ: IPL 2025: KKR’s Umran Malik Ruled Out, Chetan Sakariya Named Replacement