'No Rule More Unfair Than IPL's RTM'

'If a franchise has released a player because they don't see him in their top four or five, then what gives them the right to jump in during an auction?'

Spin ace Ravichandran Ashwin once again slammed the 'Right to Match' (RTM) ruling which is likely be implemented during the IPL mega auction later this year and suggested some major changes which he believes will benefit the players.

As per the RTM ruling, the teams can buy back the player who represented them in the previous season if they match the highest bid placed by another franchise.

The RTM rule, which was first introduced in 2014, was last used at the 2018 mega auction but not in 2022.

During the IPL governing council's meeting with the owners of all 10 franchises in Mumbai on July 31, 2024, there were discussions on the mega auction including allowing retaining up to seven players, while the RTM ruling was also debated.

Ashwin feels if the IPL has released a particular player and but wants to buy him back in the auction through RTM, then the player should have the right to decide the price.

'If a franchise has released a player because they don't see him in their top four or five, then what gives them the right to jump in during an auction? You give the option to the player, asking if he wants to be right to match,' Ashwin said on Kris Srikkanth's YouTube show Cheeky Cheeka.

'There should be a contract binding the two parties, which says he can be RTMed, only if the price is X amount and leave that pre-determined amount to be decided by the player,' he added.

Ashwin had earlier also slammed the RTM as an unfair ruling for the players.

'There is no rule more unfair for a player than RTM. Because how has the RTM rule been so far? For example, there is a player called X. He is on a team called, let us say, Sunrisers. His current value is around Rs five-six crores. He has gone into the auction.'

'Now let's say the Sunrisers want to buy the player back. So, the Sunrisers will bid for the player at a base price of 2 crore,' he had said on his YouTube channel earlier this month.

'Then, let us say KKR and the Mumbai Indians are bidding for the player. The bid goes up to six crores, and finally, they say, "The player is sold to the Mumbai Indians for six crores".'
'So, with RTM, the Sunrisers will then bid for and take the player at six crores. The problem here is that Sunrisers are happy. But KKR and MI are unhappy,' Ashwin added.

'The only person (party) happy is Sunrisers. Because, in the beginning, they gave attendance bid at base price.'