IPL 2025 Auction: Now franchises will retain this many players using RTM

BCCI and IPL teams are now seen coming into action regarding IPL 2025. According to the Patrika, a meeting is going to be held on July 31 in which all these issues will be discussed, including how much retention can the IPL teams do, and what the options for Right to Match (RTM) are before the IPL 2025 mega auction. A Cricbuzz report states that IPL CEO Hemang Amin sent text messages to the franchise owners on Thursday morning for the meeting to be held on July 31, in which they were told that information about the meeting would be given soon.

Amin has also indicated that the meeting will be held on July 31 in the afternoon or evening. It is believed that all the owners have confirmed their availability for the meeting. While the venue is yet to be confirmed, the meeting is expected to be held at the Cricket Centre, the BCCI headquarters located in the Wankhede Stadium complex in Mumbai. For the IPL 2018 mega auction, franchises were allowed to retain a maximum of five players, three from the auction and others using Right to Match cards. But the introduction of two new teams Gujarat Titans and Lucknow Super Giants in 2022 resulted in existing teams being allowed to retain four players, with no RTM cards involved.

The report suggests that the number of retentions could be capped at five or six by the BCCI. The logic behind limiting retentions is that a higher number could dampen the excitement of the auction. If each team retains eight players, the top 80 players from around the world and India will miss out on the auction, which could make the entire auction process look dull. The Right to Match option is a contentious issue that may be debated in the meeting, although it is likely that the BCCI has already taken a decision on the matter.