IPL Auction 2025 Rules: What are the RTM rules during the auction

A total of 84 players will go under the hammer on Day 1 of the Indian Premier League 2025 mega auction held in Jeddah on November 24, 2024. | Photo credit: Amol Karhadkar

The right to match (RTM) was introduced for the first time in 2018. The RTM rule will allow the franchises to bring a player from their previous season back into their squad.

The RTM rule allows a franchise to retain a player they released by matching the highest bid for that player at the auction.

IPL 2025 Mega Auction Day 1 LIVE

The RTM card will allow teams that did not use their full quota of six player retentions prior to the auction to retain some of the players from their previous teams.

A team can use the RTM card to match the highest bid placed on a player who was part of its squad in the previous season. However, in this auction, the franchise making the original bid will be given another opportunity to raise the bid for the player after the RTM card is claimed.

If the team with the RTM option decides to match the final bid, it will retain that player. If not, the original bidder will secure the player’s services, while the RTM card will be restored for the losing team.

Barring Rajasthan Royals and defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders, who used their full quota of six players, all other teams will have the RTM option during the auction.

The limit of keeping a maximum of five players with restriction and two players without restriction will also apply to the use of RTM.