NEW DELHI: Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has voiced strong criticism against the Right to Match (RTM) rule ahead of its potential reinstatement in the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) auction. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is considering bringing back the RTM rule as they prepare for the IPL 2025 auction later this year. This possibility has ignited debates among players and franchise owners.
Recently, the BCCI held a “constructive dialogue” with the owners of the ten IPL franchises to address various issues.As per an ANI report, among the topics discussed were the idea of holding mega auctions every five years instead of the current three-year cycle, the reintroduction of the RTM card, the availability of overseas players, and a cap on the number of player retention.
Ashwin, speaking on his YouTube channel, criticized the RTM rule, arguing that it is unfair to players as it prevents them from receiving their true market value. According to Ashwin, the rule creates a scenario where the original team benefits at the expense of other bidding franchises and the player involved.”There is no rule more unfair for a player than RTM,” Ashwin stated. “The problem with RTM is that it does not give fair value to the player. For example, if a player’s value has gone up during the auction due to competitive bidding, the original team can simply match the highest bid without contributing to the increase. This leaves the player without the opportunity to achieve their true market worth.”
The RTM rule allows teams to reclaim a player who represented them in the previous season by matching the highest bid placed by another franchise. While this rule has been used in the past to retain valuable players, it was removed in the 2021 mega auction to provide new franchises such as Gujarat Titans and Lucknow Super Giants a broader pool of players to choose from.
Recently, the BCCI held a “constructive dialogue” with the owners of the ten IPL franchises to address various issues.As per an ANI report, among the topics discussed were the idea of holding mega auctions every five years instead of the current three-year cycle, the reintroduction of the RTM card, the availability of overseas players, and a cap on the number of player retention.
Ashwin, speaking on his YouTube channel, criticized the RTM rule, arguing that it is unfair to players as it prevents them from receiving their true market value. According to Ashwin, the rule creates a scenario where the original team benefits at the expense of other bidding franchises and the player involved.”There is no rule more unfair for a player than RTM,” Ashwin stated. “The problem with RTM is that it does not give fair value to the player. For example, if a player’s value has gone up during the auction due to competitive bidding, the original team can simply match the highest bid without contributing to the increase. This leaves the player without the opportunity to achieve their true market worth.”
The RTM rule allows teams to reclaim a player who represented them in the previous season by matching the highest bid placed by another franchise. While this rule has been used in the past to retain valuable players, it was removed in the 2021 mega auction to provide new franchises such as Gujarat Titans and Lucknow Super Giants a broader pool of players to choose from.
Ashwin emphasized that while the original team may be satisfied with the outcome, other franchises and the player himself may feel shortchanged by the process. He argued that this undermines the integrity of the auction and prevents players from getting their deserved compensation.
“This leaves the player without the opportunity to achieve their true market worth,” he reiterated, stressing that the rule benefits the original team disproportionately.
The discussions between the BCCI and franchise owners are ongoing, and the final decision on the reinstatement of the RTM rule will significantly impact the dynamics of the upcoming IPL auction.
