The Indian Premier League (IPL) isn’t limited to cricket on the field. There’s more to it, which happens off the field.
And that’s the player auction. This is what adds spice to the richest T20 cricket league in the world.
Franchises splash crores of rupees to build solid squads. And this happens almost every year.
But not every auction is the same. There’s a mega auction and a mini auction.
Are both auctions different? Not entirely. But they differ on a few parameters.
So, here’s a closer look at the difference between the IPL mega auction and mini auction.
What purpose do both auctions serve?
The end goal behind both auctions is the same. To buy players. Simple! But the process behind them differs.
So the intent behind an IPL mega auction is to build almost the entire squad from scratch. Teams keep three or four core players and walk into the auction.
A franchise like Mumbai Indians retains a few important players and then tries to buy back their core in the mega auctions. On the other hand, Delhi Capitals or Punjab Kings keep a couple of players and build a completely new squad, different from their previous ones.
A mini auction, meanwhile, allows teams to fill up a few empty slots. Think of it like plugging a few holes. Teams generally want specific players to round out their squads
How frequently do both types of auctions happen?
No franchise would want to rebuild its squad every year. So a mega auction every year is a big no-no.
And hence, the IPL organises a mega auction every three years. The IPL 2025 had a mega auction where teams underwent a major overhaul.
Now, a mega auction can’t happen every year. But a mini auction? Well, it can, and it does happen.
The mini auctions fill in between the mega auctions. In a three-year cycle, two mini auctions happen.
What’s the duration of both auctions?
A mega auction means a complete overhaul. So the teams and organisers need more time. And thus, the mega auction typically stretches for two days.
Mini auctions, however, don’t need this much time. A day or a few hours is more than enough. So you’ll see most mini auctions wrapped up in a day.
How many players can teams retain before both auctions?
A mega auction comes with a tight player retention limit. Teams can retain a maximum of five or six players. No more than that!
But for mini auctions, there’s no such strict limit. Teams retain their best-performing or most promising players while releasing others.
So a team may decide to retain almost all players. Or hold on to half their squad and release others. It all depends on their squad composition.
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Do both auctions have marquee player sets?
The IPL attracts some of the top talent from India as well as overseas countries. And these players are always in high demand at every auction.
So the IPL keeps such players in an exclusive set – the marquee set. This set usually takes place at the start of the auction.
But the marquee set is only part of the mega auction. Since a lot of big names miss out on retentions, they return to the auction pool. And these players then become part of the marquee set and are the first to go under the hammer. The IPL 2025 auction had two marquee sets of six players each.
The mini auctions, though, don’t feature a marquee set. While some star players put their names in the mini auctions, there’s no such need for a marquee set.
Can player trades happen before both auctions?
Player trades have picked up in recent years. Teams have been using it smartly to get their desired players.
Remember when Mumbai Indians pulled off a massive coup by trading Hardik Pandya from Gujarat Titans? It happened before the IPL 2024 auction. And it was a mini auction.
So, yes, the player trade window is open before and after mini auctions. But teams can’t trade players before a mega auction.
Is the Right-to-Match (RTM) card available in both auctions?
First, what’s an RTM card? Well, it allows franchises to buy back a player from their previous season’s squad. Simple as that!
But the RTM card is only available in mega auctions. And there’s also a limit on how many a team can use. It depends on the number of players retained before the mega auction.
The mini auctions, however, don’t have RTM cards. Teams can buy back players purely based on the bidding.
To Wrap Up
Be it a mega or a mini auction, they allow teams to buy players. The differences occur in frequency, duration, player retention, trades, and RTMs.
Teams need to strategise for both auctions by keeping in mind these differences and planning their moves accordingly.
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