IPL Rules: The Indian Premier League (IPL) Governing Council has unveiled new retention rules for the highly anticipated 2025 season. This announcement opens up the possibility for teams to retain as many as six players, either directly or through the use of Right-To-Match (RTM) cards. However, a significant twist in the regulations requires franchises to retain at least one uncapped player if they intend to utilize all six retention options. RTMs complex implementationThe RTM option for the upcoming auction has been met with mixed feelings, with some stakeholders expressing disappointment over its potential return. In response, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has taken steps to ensure that the RTM mechanism is less advantageous compared to previous seasons. In past auctions, franchises that released players could use the RTM card to reclaim a player successfully won by another franchise during the bidding process. However, the implementation of the RTM in the 2025 mega auction is set to be more complex. Simply showing an RTM card will not suffice for a franchise to secure the player they desire.Bidding process explainedIn the revised process, if a franchise indicates that they wish to use the RTM card after a bidding war has concluded between two different teams, the franchise that initially won the bidding will be given an additional chance to raise their offer. In this scenario, the team holding the RTM card will need to decide whether to match or withdraw from the bidding.According to the new rules, 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 instance, if Team 1 holds the RTM for Player X and Team 2 has placed the highest bid of Rs. 6 Cr, Team 1 will first be asked if they will exercise RTM. If Team 1 agrees, Team 2 will then 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 secure Player X for Rs. 6 Cr.Practical example of RTM in actionTo illustrate this new mechanism, consider a scenario where Faf du Plessis is up for auction. If Chennai Super Kings (CSK) places the highest bid, then his current franchise, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), will be prompted to decide if they wish to use the RTM. If RCB opts to exercise its right, CSK will have one final opportunity to raise its bid before the outcome is finalized.
