Players can change teams as BCCI to introduce mid-season transfers from IPL 2018?

Mumbai: While Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) have reportedly opposed the idea of player retention policy which may jeopardise MS Dhoni and co's return to Chennai Super Kings (CSK) ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2018 players' auction, it is now learnt that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) may now introduce mid-season transfers from the eleventh edition of the IPL.  

Read: IPL 2018: MS Dhoni’s CSK return in doubt as KKR, RR oppose players’ retention policy

Although mid-tournament transfers is a common practice in football leagues – Premier League, La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga, Ligue 1 etc. – it has never happened before in the Twenty20 leagues across the globe; be it IPL, Big Bash League (BBL), Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), Caribbean Premier League (CPL), Pakistan Super League (PSL) or RamSlam T20.

Read: IPL 2018: Retentions to continue but franchisees can't go against player's wishes

However, it is reported that the possibility of mid-tournament move for players was discussed during the IPL Governing Council’s meeting in Mumbai on Tuesday. If a player did not get a run in any of the first seven games of his IPL side, then he can make a move to another side if the new team is intent to hire his services.

Read: 2 of the IPL team owners want players' auction to take place in England

"There have been instances where a player gets only a few games and that too towards the business end of the tournament or warms the bench throughout the season. A team buys a certain player in the auction, but later finds it difficult to accommodate him in the playing XI due to their combination or team balance. This proposal is a win-win situation for players and teams. The idea was discussed in the meeting and all owners/team representatives seemed convinced about it. The modalities will be worked out as soon as the IPL body accepts the proposal," Mid-Day report quoted a BCCI source as saying.