(AP Photo)
As the Indian Premier League (IPL) gears up for the mega-auction, there’s talk of reintroducing the Right-to-Match (RTM) card. However, veteran off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin opposes its return in its current form and instead proposes a modification to the rule.
The RTM card enables a team to re-sign an unretained player who previously played for them by matching the highest bid the player receives in the auction.
“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,” he questioned.
Ashwin proposed that if a team anticipates a player may not fit into their future plans, they should forfeit their right to use the RTM card to re-sign him.
Instead, he suggests a more player-focused approach. In his version of the rule, the player would have the option to choose whether he wants to be subject to the RTM process, with a predetermined price set by the player himself.
“You give the option to the player asking if he wants to be right to match. 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.”
The IPL has yet to confirm the official rules, retention policies, or whether the RTM card will be reintroduced for the upcoming auction. There is also a possibility of a new structural format for the tournament.
It will be interesting to see how the IPL handles the mega-auctions, with many teams aiming to refresh or rebuild their squads with new talent to enhance their chances of securing the title.
