Report on Player Mobility, Franchise Governance, and Sustainable Development in the Indian Premier League

Executive Summary: A Case Study of Rajasthan Royals

This report examines recent developments concerning Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Rajasthan Royals (RR) and its captain, Sanju Samson. The situation, involving a potential trade request and controversial player retention decisions, serves as a case study for analysing the intersection of professional sports management with several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), notably SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities), and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions).

Franchise Management, Governance, and Institutional Integrity (SDG 16)

The stability and effectiveness of institutions are critical for sustainable development. In the context of the IPL, franchises represent key institutions whose governance directly impacts stakeholders. Reports indicate that Sanju Samson has requested a trade or release from Rajasthan Royals due to significant disagreements with team management. This development underscores the importance of SDG 16, which advocates for effective, accountable, and transparent institutions at all levels.

• Conflict Resolution: The reported discord between a team captain and management highlights a potential breakdown in internal communication and governance structures.
• Institutional Performance: The franchise’s decline from a third-place finish in 2024 to ninth in 2025 coincided with these internal issues and Samson’s injury-affected season, linking institutional health to on-field performance.
• Player Trust: Samson’s public comment, identifying the failure to retain teammate Ravichandran Ashwin as a significant regret, signals a potential misalignment between player perspectives and management’s strategic decisions, further challenging institutional integrity.

Economic Growth and Decent Work in Professional Cricket (SDG 8)

The IPL is a significant contributor to economic growth, providing high-value employment for athletes and support staff. However, the system of player auctions, retentions, and trades directly influences the principles of decent work and career stability for its participants. The RR retention strategy ahead of the 2025 mega auction illustrates the economic dynamics at play.

1. Investment Decisions: RR allocated substantial financial resources to retain a core group of players.
   • Sanju Samson: Rs 18 crore
   • Yashasvi Jaiswal: Rs 18 crore
   • Riyan Parag: Rs 14 crore
   • Dhruv Jurel: Rs 14 crore
   • Shimron Hetmyer: Rs 11 crore
   • Sandeep Sharma: Rs 4 crore
2. Career Stability: Samson’s desire to leave the franchise, despite being its highest-paid retained player, indicates that economic compensation alone does not guarantee “decent work.” Factors like a stable, supportive, and just work environment are equally crucial.
3. Market Dynamics: The potential transfers of both Samson and Ashwin, who may be released by Chennai Super Kings (CSK), demonstrate the fluid nature of employment in the league, impacting long-term economic security for athletes.

Addressing Inequalities in Team Composition (SDG 10)

SDG 10 aims to reduce inequality within and among countries. Within a micro-economy like an IPL franchise, this goal can be applied to the equitable treatment and valuation of players. RR’s decision to release several established, high-performing senior players in favour of a younger core was a subject of considerable debate, highlighting issues of perceived inequality in strategic valuation.

• Released Performers: The franchise opted not to retain proven international stars such as Jos Buttler, Yuzvendra Chahal, and Ravichandran Ashwin.
• Consequence of Decision: Ashwin was subsequently acquired by CSK for Rs 9.75 crore after a bidding war that included his former team, RR, indicating his continued high market value and questioning the equity of the initial retention decision.
• Impact on Team Cohesion: Such decisions can create disparities in opportunity and morale within a team, affecting the collaborative environment necessary for success.

Future Outlook: Partnerships for the Goals (SDG 17)

The IPL trade window is a mechanism that relies on partnerships between franchises to achieve mutual objectives. Samson’s potential move to a new team, with franchises like Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) reportedly interested, exemplifies the formation of new strategic partnerships (SDG 17). These collaborations are essential for the league’s dynamism and the continued sustainable development of the sport’s ecosystem, ensuring that talent is matched with opportunity in a fair and transparent manner.

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

Based on a thorough analysis of the provided article, none of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted. The article’s content is exclusively focused on professional sports news.

Explanation:

• Article’s Focus: The text centers on Indian Premier League (IPL) player trades (Sanju Samson, Ravichandran Ashwin), team performance (Rajasthan Royals’ ninth-place finish), player retention decisions, and internal disagreements within a sports franchise.
• Lack of SDG Themes: The content does not touch upon any of the core themes of the SDGs, such as poverty, health, education, gender equality, climate action, or justice. The issues discussed are confined to the commercial and operational aspects of a professional sports league and do not relate to global sustainable development.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

As no SDGs are relevant to the article’s content, no specific targets under any SDG can be identified. The article does not discuss policies, actions, or outcomes related to any of the 169 SDG targets.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

No indicators for measuring progress towards SDG targets are mentioned or implied in the article.

Explanation:

The numerical data present in the text, such as player salaries (e.g., “Rs 18 crore”), auction fees (e.g., “Rs 9.75 crore”), and team rankings (“ninth-place finish”), are metrics specific to the context of a professional sports league. These figures do not correspond to any of the official SDG indicators used for monitoring global development progress (e.g., poverty rates, mortality rates, carbon emissions).

4. Create a table with three columns titled ‘SDGs, Targets and Indicators” to present the findings from analyzing the article. In this table, list the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), their corresponding targets, and the specific indicators identified in the article.

Source: sports.ndtv.com