IPL 2025: Franchises Suggest 8 RTM Options, Mega Auction Every 5 Years| Check Out Details. The 10 IPL Franchises are setting their plans for a big auction for the next season. They pulled longer between the mega auctions and more Right-to-Match (RTM) options. Presently, player retention details are cloudy, but they will be clarified after the franchise officials meet with the IPL officials. ESPNcricinfo reports that this meeting will take place very soon, probably at the beginning of next week, but the exact date is unknown.
IPL franchises sent out their comments suggesting the auction and player retention in a feedback session that took place before the meeting. A majority of the respondents propose to increase the interval between Indian Premier League mega auction, a news outlet reports. They suggest a 5-year gap instead of the current 3 years.
The franchises think that if the mega auctions were held with a gap of 5 years, the teams would be able to foster continuity through the development of young players, particularly the uncapped Indian players. A lot of these franchises, particularly the ones that have been around since the first season in 2008, have set up academies to identify and develop gifted players at the grassroots level.
The franchises believe that holding a mega auction every five years would encourage teams to keep developing players and help create a loyal fan base. Although mega auctions are usually held every three years, there have been exceptions. In 2018, the auction was delayed by a year when Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals returned after a two-year suspension. In 2021, the pandemic also caused the auction to be postponed by a year.
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Increased RTM Options During IPL Mega Auction
Moreover, the IPL teams want to include more RTM options in the auction to enable them to retain their former players. For players, RTM options are included in the auction, and teams can buy them back by matching the bid that was made to buy them.
According to the report, one of the IPL franchise CEOs suggested that teams could be allowed to retain one big player, with the rest being retained through RTMs. However, another franchise official expressed concern that this approach could cause dissatisfaction among the retained players.
A particular franchise has put forward a recommendation of a player retention policy and the option of having up to 8 RTM. This proposal has received mixed reactions from the other franchises. On the one hand, there is the opinion that it would bring a level of competitiveness among teams but, on the other hand, there are concerns regarding the best players being put into the auction pool.
Further, it is feared that franchises might overprice top players to cause the other teams to be disoriented in their strategies. More clarity will come after the upcoming meeting between IPL officials and the franchises.
