EXPLAINED: What Is New Right To Match Card Rules In IPL 2025 Mega Auction Introduced By BCCI? In Pics

The Right To Match (RTM) rule returns for IPL 2025, allowing franchises to retain players who weren’t directly retained by matching their auction price with competing bids.

Unlike previous editions, the IPL 2025 RTM rule requires teams to act after the highest bidder is determined, allowing an additional opportunity for competing teams to increase their bids before the RTM is used.

If a team, like Rajasthan Royals, bids INR 6 crores for Shivam Dube, his previous franchise, Chennai Super Kings, can match the bid using RTM or let him go if Rajasthan increases their bid.

Depending on the number of players directly retained, franchises can use 0 to 2 RTM cards. Retaining six players leaves no RTM cards, while retaining fewer players grants teams more flexibility with RTMs.

For teams to fully utilize all six retention spots, including RTM cards, they must retain at least one uncapped player from their squad, further adding strategic complexity to their decisions.

After using an RTM card, the original team can only retain a player if the competing team does not improve their bid, making auctions more thrilling and tactical.

Once a team plays its RTM card, the highest bidder is allowed to increase their offer, leading to a final decision where the original team can either match or lose the player.

Teams with more retentions will have fewer or no RTM cards available, which could limit their ability to bring back key players, shifting the balance in the auction.

Using an RTM comes with risks as franchises must decide whether to match a higher bid or let the player go, adding suspense to the bidding process in 2025.

The return of RTM is expected to heavily influence teams’ pre-auction strategies, as franchises will need to decide whether retaining capped stars or saving RTM cards for bidding wars is more valuable.