After much speculation around IPL rules, with all the fuss, the BCCI finally revealed how the IPL 2025 mega auction rules are going to be. This announcement came late on September 28, following the IPL Governing Council Meeting. Many rules were tweaked, and some were reintroduced, but one rule that caught a lot of attention is the Right to Match (RTM) card, last used in the IPL 2017 mega auction but discarded ahead of the 2022 mega auction. Now, RTM is making a comeback and gaining attention. But what exactly is RTM, and how are franchises going to use it? See all the crucial details.
What is RTM in IPL?
In the past RTM is an option for a franchise to acquire a player’s services or get that player back during the auction by matching the highest bid made for the player by another franchise, but now there is a subtle change in this rule, franchises that place the highest bid will be given one extra opportunity to raise their bid before the franchise holding the RTM card claims the player. This rule certainly looks important, as it will help the player receive their correct value. In the past, there was criticism regarding this rule due to how it restricted player growth.
How RTM works in IPL
Let’s suppose Mumbai Indians release Rohit Sharma ahead of the IPL 2025 auction, he goes under the hammer and receives the highest bid of Rs 20 crores, then the Mumbai Indians franchise will be asked first if they wish to exercise their RTM. If they choose to do so, the franchise that placed the highest bid will be given one more chance to increase and place a final bid. If they raise it to Rs 23 crores, then MI can use their RTM and resign Rohit Sharma for Rs 23 crores.
How many Right to Match cards are allowed in IPL 2025 mega auction?
This time around, there are no limitations for franchises, unlike in the past when 3 RTMs were allowed. Now, they can retain anywhere from 0 to 6 players, as six players are allowed to be retained. It all depends on how many players they want to retain directly or how many they want to put under the hammer and then get back via RTM cards. For instance, if a team retains a total of 6 players, 5 capped and 1 uncapped, there will be no RTM. But if they only retain their core 4 players, they will have two RTMs to use at the auction.
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