Have a look at the rule and meaning of the right to match card in the IPL 2025 mega auction
Social media platforms has been buzzing since the news of IPL 2025 mega auction surfaced, leaving many cricket enthusiasts wondering about the new retention rules and Right to Match card.
If you’re amongst those fans who are wondering about the same question, worry not, here’s all the information.
The Right to Match, aka RTM card is returning in the Indian Premier League season 2025 ahead of its upcoming mega auction, set to take place later this year, likely in November or December at an overseas venue.
IPL 2025 auction right to match card (RTM) rule and meaning explained
After being excluded from the 2022 Mega Auction, the RTM card returns after a 3-year gap, as the BCCI, on Saturday, finalized the retention rules. As per these new retention rules, the IPL 2025 teams will be allowed to retain a total of 6 players ahead of the new IPL season.
According to the BCCI announcement, all 10 teams of the Indian Premier League can retain upto 6 players from their current squad, which is IPL 2024 squad, either through direct retention or by using the RTM card.
If a team of the IPL 2025 chose not to retain any players from their current squad during the retention window, the team can now use the option of RTM for all 6 retentions.
Let us remind you, the retention window closes a month before the auction.
We have been discussing a lot about RTM, but what exactly it is and are there any rule changes compare to previous season? Let’s find out together
What is RTM?
The RTM option, also known as Right to Match option allows all ten teams to buy back a player during the auction by matching the highest bid made for that player by another team after bidding concludes.
🚨 New RTM Card Addition in IPL! 🚨
The Right to Match (RTM) card is back for IPL 2025! Teams can now re-acquire players they didn’t retain earlier using RTM during the auction. 🏏💥 pic.twitter.com/lJmf8CRqLL
— Hemant Bhavsar (@hemantbhavsar86) September 29, 2024
However, there’s a twist to the rule this year to make it more balanced for both the player and the bidding team. The new twist to the rule done by BCCI has tweaked it as previously during the mega auction 2018, the team could simply match the highest bid.
However, now the new rule allows the highest bidder one final opportunity to increase their bid after the team holding the RTM card exercises its option.