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Days after the Indian Premier League (IPL) General Council announced the Player Regulations 2025-27 after constructive dialogues with the franchises and their owners, several teams have come forward and questioned the re-introduced Right To Match (RTM) clause. It is to be noted that IPL organising committee had confirmed the reintroduction of the RTM card, providing the franchises to use it for retention process.
“The IPL franchises can retain a total of 6 players from their existing squad. This can be either via retention or by using the Right to Match (RTM) option. It is at the discretion of the IPL franchise to choose their combination for Retentions and RTMs. The 6 retentions/RTM can have a maximum of 5 capped players (Indian & Overseas) and a maximum of 2 uncapped players,” the statement from the release read.
IPL franchises write to BCCI over Right to Match clause
However, seven out of the ten IPL franchises have raised concerns about the additional advantages over the RTM card. It is to be noted that as per the rule, “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.” This have led to chaos among the franchises, stating that the extra opportunity undermines the definition and logic of the RTM.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in its ruling had stated that each team can exercise the RTM option a maximum of six times, providing they do not retain any players. "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 BCCI elaborated the point.
Meanwhile the franchises are of the opinion that the purpose of RTM is not served when a franchise is required to match the raised bid. As per the BCCI’s rule, the amount can be increased to any sum, which eventually diminishes the value of the incremental bid at that particular stage. However, it has to be seen how the BCCI counters this move of the franchises seeing the franchises have to share the retained players list by October 31.
