IPL 2025 Mega Auction Rules Explained: What Is Right To Match And How Does It Work?

The IPL 2025 Mega Auction is scheduled for November 24 and 25 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. During these two days, teams can fill up to 204 slots. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced that 577 players are on the final auction list. Among them, there are 367 Indian players and 210 overseas players, including four from Associate Nations.

Before the auction, each of the ten IPL teams had the option to retain up to six players from their 2024 squad. This could be done through direct retention or by using the Right to Match (RTM) card during the auction. Although there are 204 slots available, teams can use RTM cards to buy back some released players.

The RTM card allows teams to retain specific players from their previous squad even if other teams bid on them during the auction. This rule was first introduced in the IPL 2014 mega auction and was also used in 2018. However, it was not part of the IPL 2022 auction but returns with modifications for IPL 2025.

Heading into this year's auction, each team could retain up to six players from their previous squads. This includes a maximum of five capped and two uncapped Indian players. Teams that did not use their full retention quota before October 31 can use RTM cards during the auction.

How Does the RTM Rule Work?

If a team retains fewer than six players before the deadline, they receive RTM cards for use at the auction. For instance, retaining four players grants two RTM cards. However, teams with five capped retentions can only use an RTM card on an uncapped player during the main event.

The RTM card allows a team to match any highest bid made on its former player during the auction to buy him back. While previously using an RTM card was enough to retain a player, a new twist has been added for IPL 2025.

What's New in the RTM Rule for IPL Mega Auction 2025?

In this edition, when a team uses an RTM card, the original bidder gets one more chance to raise their bid for that player. If they do so, then the team using the RTM must match this new bid to retain their player.

If they choose not to match it, then the team with the final bid wins and retains their RTM card for later use. For example, if CSK bids Rs 6 Crore for Glenn Maxwell and RCB uses an RTM card at Rs 6 Crore, CSK can increase their bid again.

If CSK raises it further to Rs 8 Crore and RCB does not match this new amount, then CSK will acquire Maxwell at Rs 8 Crore while RCB keeps its RTM card intact.