The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is reportedly set to revoke the Right to Match (RTM) rule for the forthcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) Mega Auction. The board has yet to make an official announcement, but it is likely to allow franchises to retain five players ahead of the IPL 2025 Mega Auctions, according to a report from the Indian Express. Notably, the teams will not have the RTM option to re-sign released players during the upcoming auction.
It is understood that most of the teams are looking to retain five or more players to ensure stability and preserve brand reputation. Retaining five players will enable teams to reestablish their core squad and then build around them in the auction. Notably, in the last Mega Auction held in 2022, teams were allowed to keep up to four players.
In August 2024, the BCCI held discussions with IPL franchise owners regarding the player retention policy. Franchises that had a successful campaign in the previous edition expressed their wish to maintain the balance of their teams and requested the governing body to permit more than three retentions.
Notably, these franchises have invested heavily in nurturing young talent in the previous auction, and restricting retention to three could jeopardize those players in the forthcoming Mega Auction. In contrast, teams who had a disappointing last season are pushing for a mega auction to overhaul their squads.
Additionally, the option to retain five players will be well-received by franchises. Teams with a strong existing core, such as the five-time champions Mumbai Indians, can now keep all their top players, including Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav, and Hardik Pandya. Similarly, the Chennai Super Kings, another successful team in IPL history, will have the opportunity to retain MS Dhoni along with their promising young talents.
The BCCI is likely to announce the new IPL retention rules by the end of this week. While the auction date has not yet been confirmed, earlier reports suggested it might take place outside India in late November.
“The Board of Control for Cricket in India on Wednesday organised a constructive dialogue with the owners of the 10 franchises on various subjects pertaining to the upcoming season of the IPL,” Jay Shah said in a release last month.
“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,” he added.