Indian Super League 2017: Indian player draft - Schedule, venue and rules

Indian football is on the verge of an intriguing but exciting season, what with the FIFA U17 World Cup starting in a few months followed by a revamped Indian Super League (ISL) season which is set to run longer. 

More importantly, the upcoming ISL season will see ten teams jousting to land the top honour which will guarantee the winner a place in the AFC Cup for next season as well. 

ISL Draft: 10 most expensive players

With Bengaluru FC and a Jamshedpur-based franchise entering the league, the fanfare and attention surrounding the ISL is reaching a crescendo. However, most of the teams will be starting this season with a blank slate, having been able to retain a maximum of only two senior Indian players.

The teams will have to build the rest of their Indian contingent from the Indian player draft this Sunday. With many notable names available in the draft, the fans and pundits alike are looking forward to see how the teams will approach the draft. 

ISL Draft: 10 cheapest players

TV CHANNEL & LIVE STREAM

Unfortunately, the draft will not be telecast by ISL's broadcast partners Star India on TV (as per the latest information). However, it will be streamed LIVE on Hotstar. 

TV viewers can catch detailed analysis of the draft on July 25, July 31 and August 7 at 9:00 PM IST on Star Sports 2. 

TEAMS' RETAINED LIST AND ENTRY IN DRAFT

Each team were given the provision of opting to retain a maximum of two senior players and three U21 players before going into the draft, which was exercised by all teams except Jamshedpur FC (no players to retain) and Delhi Dynamos (opted not to). 

ISL Draft: 10 expensive forwards

However, the rule is that a team which has retained 2 senior players can enter the draft only after round 2. In case, one of the U21 players retained has an international cap, he will be considered as a senior player too. 

Moreover, the maximum squad size will be of 25 players and must contain a minimum of seven foreign players and 15 Indian players. This must also include at least 2 U21 players (players born after Jan 1997). Here are the players the teams have retained and when they are expected to enter the draft: 

1) JAMSHEDPUR FC: 

Senior Retained: None
U21 Retained: None
No of players to be selected : Min 15 including two U21
Entry in Draft Round: 1

2) DELHI DYNAMOS FC

Senior Retained: None
U21 Retained: None
No of players to be selected : Min 15 including two U21
Entry in Draft Round: 1

3) FC PUNE CITY

Senior Retained: Vishal Kaith
U21 Retained: Ashique Kuruniyan 
No of players to be selected : Min 14 including one U21
Entry in Draft Round : 2

4) KERALA BLASTERS FC 

Senior Retained: CK Vineeth, Sandesh Jhingan
U21 Retained: Prashanth Karuthadathkuni
No of players to be selected : Min 13 including one U21
Entry in Draft Round : 3

5) ATLETICO DE KOLKATA

Senior Retained: Debjit Majumdar, Prabir Das
U21 Retained: None
No of players to be selected : Min 13 including two U21.
Entry in Draft Round : 3

ISL Draft: 10 expensive midfielders

6) BENGALURU FC 

Senior Retained : Sunil Chhetri, Udanta Singh
U21 Retained : Nishu Kumar, Malsawmzuala
No of players to be selected : Min 13
Entry in Draft Round : 3

7) FC GOA

Senior Retained: Laxmikant Kattimani, Mandar Rao Dessai
U21 Retained: None
No of players to be selected : Min 13 including two U21
Entry in Draft Round : 3

8) MUMBAI CITY FC

Senior Retained: Amrinder Singh, Sehnaj Singh
U21 Retained: Rakesh Oram
No of players to be selected : Min 13 including one U21
Entry in Draft Round : 3

9) NORTHEAST UNITED FC

Seniors Retained: Rowllin Borges, TP Rehenesh 
U21 Retained: None
No of players to be selected : Min 13 including two U21
Entry in Draft Round : 3

10) CHENNAIYIN FC

Senior Retained: Jeje Lalpekhlua, Karanjit Singh
U21 Retained: Jerry Lalrinzuala (capped), Anirudh Thapa
No of players to be selected : Min 12
Entry in Draft Round : 4

ISL Draft: 10 expensive defenders

DRAFT RULES

* Clubs to have a minimum of 15 and maximum of 18 Indian players in the squad, including a mandatory two U21 development players.

* Teams have a pool of around 200 domestic players to choose from in the draft. 

* As the new team in ISL, Jamshedpur FC will get the first pick in both 1st and 2nd rounds of the Player Draft, while Delhi Dynamos FC will be the second club to exercise their right in the opening round.

ISL Draft: 10 expensive goalkeepers

* The sequence for selection in the rounds for each club will be determined by a draw of lots on Saturday evening.

* The draft will have a total of 15 rounds.

* From Round 3, teams can exercise 'Instant Trading' option if another club picks one of their targets - Any club may, within 15 seconds of another club announcing its Draft pick, press the buzzer to activate the “Instant Trade” process. Representatives of the clubs will then head to the Instant Trading Table to propose, negotiate and close the deal within a stipulated time, if they are able to come to an agreement. 

* The salary cap for each team (both Indian and foreign players) has been set at ₹18 Crores and only a maximum of ₹12.5 Crores can be utilised to sign overseas players. So, the teams have at least ₹5.5 crores to spend on Indian players plus whatever is left over the budget for the foreign players.

* Interestingly, if a team opts to sign a marquee player, his wages will not be counted in the salary cap.