Big Twist In RTM Card! BCCI Tweaks Retention Process For IPL 2025 Mega-Auction

The Right to Match (RTM) card will make its return to the Indian Premier League (IPL) mega-auction for the first time in 2018. Introduced in 2014, the RTM card allows a franchise to retain players which it couldn't before the auction. A franchise can match the highest bid to retain the player during the auction.But this year, the BCCI has tweaked the user of the RTM card. A franchise will be able to retain a player by matching the highest bid but the team which had made the highest bid will also have an option to buy the player.For example: Rohit Sharma is part of the IPL 2025 mega-auction. After a long bidding process, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) finally buy for Rs 10 crore. The auctioneer will ask Mumbai Indians (MI) if they want to use their RTM card and shell out Rs 10 crore for Rohit.If MI say no, then Rohit will join RCB for Rs 10 crore. But if MI use their RTM card, then RCB will be an auction to increase the bid. Suppose RCB raise Rohit's price to Rs 15 crore, then the auctioneer will once again ask MI if they want to retain Rohit.If MI match the amount, then Rohit will rejoin them for Rs 15 crore. But if MI say no, then Rohit will join RCB but for Rs 15 crore. The latest tweak in the rules of the RTM card has advantages and disadvantages. While a player can see a surge in his price, it can cost a franchise big bucks.A franchise can retain a maximum of six players. If a team doesn't retain any player before the mega-auction, then it will have six RTM cards at the auction. If a team retain two players, then it will have 4 RTM cards. The mega-auction is likely to take place outside India in November.