Just ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 auction, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has decided to eliminate the Right to Match (RTM) option. The board will likely permit franchises to retain up to five players.
According to a report by the Indian Express, an IPL franchise will be allowed to retain five players, but there won’t be the RTM option to re-sign released players in the mega auction. The BCCI has yet to announce a final decision on player retention, but the proposed changes are already generating buzz among the franchises and fans alike.
“The Board of Control for Cricket in India on Wednesday organized a constructive dialogue with the owners of the 10 franchises on various subjects about the upcoming season of the IPL,” stated Jay Shah, BCCI Secretary, in a recent release. “The franchise owners tabled feedback on player regulations and other commercial aspects, including central merchandising, licensing, and gaming. The BCCI will now take these recommendations to the IPL Governing Council for further deliberation and evaluation before formulating the IPL player regulations.”
Most IPL franchises have expressed a desire to retain five or more players to maintain continuity and protect their brand value. “Retaining five players will allow the teams to get their core team back on the board and then build around them through the mega auction,” noted a franchise owner during the meeting.
The RTM option, which allowed teams to reacquire their former players by matching the highest bid, was last used in the 2018 mega auction. Its removal is seen as a move to level the playing field and provide all teams with an equal opportunity to build their squads from scratch.
Most interestingly fans are looking out for what happens to Hardik Pandya and Rohit Sharma. Will they continue to play for MI or any other team.
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