The IPL governing council has reintroduced the Right-To-Match (RTM) cards for the upcoming IPL 2025 mega auction. But the RTM cards will be available for the franchises with a twist in the way they can be used. Each of the 10 franchises will have a purse of INR 120 Cr to spend before and during the auction.
Before we get to the RTM Cards, the IPL GC has allowed a total of 5 retentions per franchise, which can be all Indian or Overseas players and a maximum of two uncapped players. Each uncapped player retained will be valued at INR 4 crores and this corresponding amount will be subtracted from the total purse for each team (INR 120 crores for IPL 2025).
The retention slab for the five players is as follows:
Retained Player 1- INR 18 crores
Retained Player 2- INR 14 crores
Retained Player 3- INR 11 crores
Retained Player 4- INR 18 crores
Retained Player 5- INR 14 crores
The franchises need to mandatorily retain one uncapped player as well, so a total of 6 players can be retained by a team either directly or via Right-To-Match cards.
If a franchise retains 6 players (5 capped and one uncapped), then a total of INR 79 Cr will be deducted from their purse. The said franchise will have INR 41 crores to spend on the auction table. Having retained six players, they will also have no RTMs.
The no. of RTM cards a franchise can have in the IPL 2025 auction is the no. of players they haven’t retained. If a franchise retains only three players, it will have three RTMs.
The BCCI has introduced a substantial change to the way the RTM option can be played during the auction.
Previously, the franchise that released a player could utilize the RTM card to re-purchase a player obtained by another franchise during the IPL auction bidding war. However, in the forthcoming mega auction, simply showing an RTM card will not be sufficient for a club to purchase the player.
If a franchise displays the RTM card following the conclusion of a bidding war between two distinct franchises, the team that won the auction will be given another opportunity to increase the bid for the aforementioned player.
In such a case, the team with the RTM card would have the choice of withdrawing or matching the increased price for the player.
"The highest bidder will be given one final opportunity to raise their bid for a player before the team holding the RTM card can exercise their right. For example, if Team 1 holds the RTM for Player X and Team 2 has placed the highest bid of Rs. 6 Cr, then Team 1 will be first asked if they will exercise RTM if Team 1 agrees, then Team 2 will have the chance to increase their bid.
If Team 2 raises their bid to Rs. 9 Cr, then Team 1 can use the RTM and acquire Player X for Rs. 9 Cr. If Team 2 chooses not to raise the bid and keeps it at Rs. 6 Cr, Team 1 can use the RTM and get Player X for Rs. 6 Cr," the rule reads.
This can be explained via the following example:
If Hardik Pandya comes up for bidding in the IPL 2025 auction and Chennai Super Kings put up the highest bid of INR 15 Cr, the Mumbai Indians (Pandya’s current franchise) will have an opportunity to exercise their RTM card.
If MI is willing to use its RTM card, CSK will be given a chance to increase and place a final bid. If CSK raises the bid to INR 17 Cr, the MI can use its RTM card to retain Pandya for INR 17 Cr. Or MI can choose not to use their RTM card and let Pandya go to CSK.
(Cricbuzz inputs)
