IPL 2025: What Is RTM Card Rule? How Franchises Benefit From This In Mega Auction?

Akshita Patel

RTM rule to benefit many franchises [Source: iplt20.com] RTM rule to benefit many franchises [Source: iplt20.com]

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IPL 2025 mega auction is just around the corner, with the buzz around player retention in full swing. This year, the IPL governing council has reintroduced the Right to Match (RTM) card rule with an interesting modification to ensure that each player fetches their desired market value.

IPL 2025 retention deadline is hours away as all 10 franchises are holding a marathon of meetings to confirm the core they wish to protect from the impending mega auction.

That being said, the retention process was tweaked this year by the IPL governing council. The maximum retention cap was set to 6 players with no restrictions on choices of foreign players. However, the addition of RTM cards to this cap complicated the process.

What is an RTM card?

Right to match card (RTM) is a scheme that allows franchises to buy back the players during the mega auction that they couldn’t retain. For example, if KL Rahul is bought by RCB in the mega auction, LSG will have an opportunity to use the RTM card and buy back Rahul by matching RCB’s bid.

How many RTM cards are allowed in the IPL 2025 mega auction?

IPL governing council set the maximum retention limit to 6 players, including the RTM cards. This means that the number of RTM cards available with each team will be: 6-number of retained players. For example, if DC retains 6 players, it won’t have any RTM cards in the auction. On the other hand, if an LSG retains zero players, it can use 6 RTM cards on the auction table.

What is the new modification?

For the IPL 2025 mega auction, the RTM rule has been modified to ensure every player meets their desired market value. As per the new rule, once a franchise exercises the RTM card, the highest bidder for that player will have an opportunity to increase the bid by any amount he desires. If so happens, the team with the RTM card will have to retain the player for that increased amount. 

For example, RCB placed the highest bid of INR 15 crores for Ishan Kishan in the mega auction. Now, once MI uses the RTM card, RCB can increase the bid to suppose INR 18 crores. In that case, MI is mandated to pay INR 18 crores to Kishan if they wish to continue with the RTM card.