The BCCI has shared the Registered Available Player Pool (RAPP) list with IPL franchises, featuring over 1,300 unsold players from the December auction, including Steve Smith, Daryl Mitchell and Umesh Yadav, who can be signed as replacements during the season.
While not a commonly discussed term during the IPL auction itself, the Registered Available Player Pool (RAPP) plays a crucial role once the auction concludes. The RAPP list serves as the official pool from which franchises can recruit replacement players during the season.
The BCCI has recently circulated a list of 1,307 players to IPL teams. This pool consists of players who had registered for the December 16 auction in Abu Dhabi, went unsold, and did not withdraw from the process.
Several high-profile international names headline the list. Steve Smith, Jonny Bairstow, Reece Topley and Jamie Smith are among the overseas players who could step in as replacements if required. Also included is Daryl Mitchell, currently ranked 98th on the list with a base price of Rs 2 crore. The New Zealand all-rounder was the Player of the Series in the recent ODI series against India.
The RAPP list also features a number of experienced Indian players. Mayank Agarwal, KS Bharat, Deepak Hooda, Navdeep Saini, Chetan Sakariya, Sandeep Warrier and Umesh Yadav are among the capped Indians available, each carrying a base price of Rs 75 lakh.
According to BCCI guidelines, franchises are not permitted to sign a replacement player for a fee lower than the reserve price set during the auction. While teams often rope in players from the RAPP as net bowlers, the board has clarified that such arrangements do not grant any preferential rights. If another franchise wishes to sign the same player as a replacement, the player must be released immediately upon agreement.
How the RAPP Works
The RAPP consists of players who were eligible for the auction in the relevant IPL season, remained unsold, and did not opt out of the process. To qualify as a replacement player, an individual must be listed on the RAPP and must be contracted at a fee no lower than their declared reserve price for the season, assuming full availability.
Franchises that engage RAPP-listed players as net bowlers do so without exclusivity. Should another team approach the player for a replacement role, the original franchise is required to let the player go without delay, provided contractual terms are agreed.
