The 2025 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is set to resume on May 17, but the tournament’s final stretch has already been thrown into flux due to the unavailability of several overseas players. In response, the IPL has made a significant amendment to its player replacement policy, allowing franchises to sign temporary replacements for the rest of the season. However, such replacements will not be eligible for retention ahead of the 2026 auction. Previously, franchises were allowed to sign replacement players in the case of illness or injury, but only before or during their 12th league match. The league has now modified that rule to accommodate the ongoing disruptions following the tournament’s mid-season suspension. “Given the non-availability of certain foreign players due to national commitments or personal reasons or any injury or illness, Temporary Replacement Players will be allowed until the conclusion of this tournament,” the IPL stated in a memo to franchises. “This decision is subject to the condition that the Temporary Replacement players taken from this point forward will not be eligible for retention in the following year. Temporary Replacement players will have to register for the IPL Player Auction 2026,” the memo further clarified. The change appears to be a preemptive move to prevent teams from using the replacement clause to bypass the auction process. The IPL has made it clear that this relaxation in rules is a one-time measure due to extraordinary circumstances. It also clarified that players signed before the tournament was suspended remain eligible for retention. These include Sediqullah Atal (Delhi Capitals), Mayank Agarwal (Royal Challengers Bengaluru), and the Rajasthan Royals duo of Lhuan-dre Pretorius and Nandre Burger. Delhi Capitals signed Mustafizur Rahman as Jake Fraser-McGurk ‘opted to leave due to personal reasons’. The Australian batter had been picked up for a whopping INR 9 crore at the auction, as the The left-arm medium pacer from Bangladesh will join DC for INR 6 crore. Fraser-McGurk is the second confirmed overseas withdrawal after Chennai Super Kings’ Jamie Overton. Once seen as a key performer towards the end of IPL 2024, the 23-year-old failed to replicate that form this season, managing just 55 runs in six matches. With five single-digit scores and a best of 38, he was benched midway through the campaign. Delhi remains in contention for a playoff spot but awaits clarity on the availability of other overseas stars such as Mitchell Starc, Faf du Plessis, and Tristan Stubbs. Stubbs’ situation is particularly tricky, as he is part of South Africa’s squad for the World Test Championship final beginning June 11. Cricket South Africa has mandated that players selected for the WTC must stick to their original No Objection Certificates, valid only until May 25. England’s players, including Jos Buttler (GT), Jacob Bethell (RCB), and Will Jacks (MI), are also likely to miss the playoffs due to a home ODI series against the West Indies. While Bethell is expected to feature in two more IPL matches before leaving, Buttler and Jacks’ travel plans remain unclear. Amid all the uncertainty, Mumbai Indians have received a boost with the return of New Zealand pacer Trent Boult, a key figure in their recent resurgence.