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The Indian Premier League (IPL) is gearing up for its 2025 season, and the upcoming auction promises excitement and intrigue. However, a recent change to the Right-To-Match (RTM) rule has sparked controversy, leading to an official complaint from the franchises to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). This rule change, intended to bring dynamism to the auction process, has inadvertently raised concerns about its impact on player valuations and the overall fairness of the bidding process.
The traditional RTM mechanism was a simple and straightforward system. When a team wanted to retain a player, they could match the highest bid placed on that player at the auction. This ensured that the original team could retain the player at their actual market value. However, the new RTM rule allows the team with the last bid to increase their offer, potentially forcing the original team to pay a significantly higher price to retain their desired player.
Imagine Player X, who is coveted by multiple teams. Team 1 holds the RTM for Player X, and Team 2 has placed the highest bid of Rs. 6 Cr. In the past, Team 1 would have automatically secured Player X by matching the Rs. 6 Cr bid. But under the new rule, Team 2 has the option to raise their bid. If they increase the bid to Rs. 9 Cr, Team 1 can only acquire Player X by matching this inflated price. Conversely, if Team 2 chooses not to raise their bid, Team 1 can still secure Player X at the original Rs. 6 Cr price.
The franchises argue that the essence of the RTM lies in establishing a player's true market value. This core principle is undermined when teams are forced to match arbitrarily raised bids. The flexibility introduced by the new RTM rule is seen as creating an unfair advantage for teams with deeper pockets and potentially distorting the true value of players. The BCCI is now facing pressure from the franchises to reconsider the new RTM rule and potentially revert to the older, more transparent system. The BCCI will have to carefully weigh the franchises' concerns against the intended goals of the rule change, ensuring a fair and balanced auction process for all teams in the upcoming IPL season.
Source: IPL Auction 2025: Franchises File Official Complaint Against This Rule Change - Report