IPL 2025 Auction: From player retention to RTM, what we know so far

The next cycle of Indian Premier League has already begun. Franchises are in talks with different players for a possible option while the BCCI is setting new ground rules for the IPL 2025 Auction. The only clarity in the public domain has been that franchise owners are almost unanimous in their belief that there should be some continuity in terms of players. BCCI will take a call on the IPL Auction structure and a new set of rules by September 1st week.

The disagreement between the BCCI and the franchise owners is on the number of retentions. While the BCCI favours a mega auction, backed by broadcasters. The uncertainty an auction creates around a player’s future rakes in millions of views on the auction days. However, the franchise owners could not agree on the need for a mega auction. Sunrisers Hyderabad and Kolkata Knight Riders were against a mega auction while Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals supported that move.

IPL 2025 Retention

Franchises had a discussion in Mumbai about the number of retentions ahead of the IPL 2025 Auction. While the general consensus was around having 5-6 retentions, some wanted the number to go up to 8. In the IPL 2022 mega Auction, franchises had 4 retentions.

The ball is now in the IPL Governing Council’s court. And even though some franchises want the mega auction to be curtailed to just a mini one, it is going to stay. IPL GC and the BCCI are now formulating the rules for the auction including the hotly debated topic of retention.

“It’s under discussion. We will meet soon to formalise the number of retentions. The number is not going to be 8 for sure. But we have heard from the team owners and we will decide on the retention number in accordance with that. As far as mega auction is concerned, it stays,” a BCCI official told InsideSport.

RTM in IPL Auction

RTM or Right to Match is another debated topic. Using RTM, one franchise can retain their player after matching the final bid. That nullifies the entire effort of the other franchises at the auction. And having RTMs also increases the number of retentions eventually. Franchises are divided on that front too.

However, InsideSport understands that RTM could return for the IPL 2025 Auction. RTM was removed after the 2018 auction. It was introduced in 2014,

“Nothing is final yet. But yes, there are discussions going on regarding RTM. It was removed to give parity to the new franchises last time. Now, instead of high number of retentions, RTM could be a useful tool for retaining players,” the official said.

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Impact Player Rule

Impact Player rule was a super hit in IPL 2023 and 2024. The likes of Shivam Dube, Abhishek Sharma, and Ashutosh Sharma made great impression. However, with Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli among other Indian cricketers voicing their opinion against it, BCCI is still reviewing whether to continue with Impact Player. Some franchises are in favour of it while some are against it.

It is one of the reasons why BCCI is still reviewing whether to try it out once again in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.

When & Where will the auction take place?

While the BCCI is also deliberating on the commercials, there is also an important decision to take regarding the venue and date of the auction. The last auction was held in the UAE for the first time. However, the auction is likely to return to India.

As for the date, BCCI will take a call on that later. It is slotted for December. And it is likely to happen in the last week of December.