What is the RTM factor in IPL auctions and how do teams use it?

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The IPL 2025 mega auction saw ten franchises splash INR 639.15 crore to complete their squads for the next season. The two-day event grabbed the attention of the cricket fraternity, with players like Rishabh Pant, Shreyas Iyer and Venkatesh Iyer breaking some auction records. However, this year, the new RTM rule had a major impact on auctions, with a few franchises using it wisely to exhaust others' wallets.

Ahead of the IPL Auction, the BCCI stated that an IPL franchise could retain a maximum of six players from their last season's squad. The rules suggested that if a franchise decided not to retain less than six then it would get an opportunity to use the Right to Match (RTM) option on their players in auction.

"The 6 retentions / RTM’s can have a maximum of 5 capped players (Indian & Overseas) and a maximum of 2 uncapped players," the IPL stated.

Apart from Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals, every other team entered the auction with RTM cards in their pocket.

RTM Card Explained

A franchise was allowed to use the option to match the highest bid for the player at the auction who was part of their squad in the previous season. However, the updated rule for this auction allowed an IPL team to place the original bid on the player and go one bid higher after the RTM card was used. The franchise with the RTM card had to then match the new bid to retain the players, or else the player would join the team placing the original bid.

Delhi Capitals used it wisely to re-sign their former stars Mukesh Kumar (INR 8 crore) and Jake Frase McGurk (INR 9 crore). They also raised the paddle for RTM to get Rishabh Pant back after Lucknow Super Giants made an INR 20.75 crore bid for them but failed to match their new incremental bid for INR 27 crore. LSG had identified Pant as their successor to KL Rahul for next season, and they didn't want to lose him, which made the franchise land an outlandish 27 crore final bid from the original ₹20.75 crore.

Many expected Royal Challengers Bengaluru to use it for Mohammed Siraj, Will Jacks and Glenn Maxwell, but they didn't raise the paddle for either. RCB eventually sampled it to win back left-arm spinner Swapnil Singh ( ₹35 lakh to ₹50 lakh).

Gujarat Titans also tried to bring Noor Ahmed back into their squad with the RTM paddle raised for CSK's ₹5 crore bid. However, they failed to match their final ₹10 crore bid, and Chennai managed to get him back into their squad.

Meanwhile, Punjab Kings was one such franchise that was very adamant about using the RTM option for Arshdeep Singh, signing him for INR 18 crore after Sunrisers Hyderabad set a final price on him from INR 15.75 crore to INR 18 crore.

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