The veteran spin all-rounder for the Indian team, Ravichandran Ashwin, feels that the Right to Match (RTM) card option for a mega auction before the Indian Premier League (IPL) season is quite unfair to the players. Several franchises, however, have been in favor of this rule to retain their core players.
The teams, in the last meeting with the IPL governing body, spoke about having more retained players for the upcoming seasons of the league so that, it becomes easy for them to continue with the same sort of players whom they have built over the years.
However, an experienced member of the T20 tournament, Ravichandran Ashwin, felt that because of the RTM rule, a team wouldn’t be needed to bid for the player at all after his base price, and that decreases the actual demand.
“There is nothing 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 the Sunrisers.” The Rajasthan Royals all-rounder from the last IPL 2024 explained in a video shared on his YouTube channel.
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“There is a player in the SunRisers. His current value is around five to six crores. He went to an auction. SunRisers have to buy the player back. So, the SunRisers will bid for the player at a base price of two crore.” He described.
The Tamil Nadu-born feels that in the case of these RTM rules, the only person who is happy with the whole process is the franchise that holds the rights of the players in the mega auction.
Ravichandran Ashwin shows why RTM becomes unfair to players
In the last IPL 2024, Ravichandran Ashwin didn’t enjoy a great time having taken only nine wickets in 15 innings, at an average of over 51 and an economy of 8.49. That was the highest economy rate for the off-spinner in a whole season in the history of the league.
In 212 games, he has recorded 180 scalps at an average of under 30 and an economy rate of 7.12, having a best of 4/34. The former captain of the Punjab Kings displayed another example of how brutal this RTM rule could prove to be for the player.
“KKR and the Mumbai Indians are bidding for the player. The bid is up to six crores. The player was sold to the Mumbai Indians for six crores. So, the SunRisers will bid for the player at six crores. The problem here is that SunRisers are happy.” The 38-year-old expressed in the interaction.
“KKR and Mumbai Indians are unhappy. Kumudha is unhappy. The only person happy is SunRisers. Because, for the first time, they gave attendance. After that, there is no fair value at all. There is a bidder.”Ravichandran Ashwin remarked in the interview.
In the same video, he also lamented the fact that the auction of the league doesn’t offer fair value to the player, and this RTM rule makes the equation tougher.
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“The KKR and Mumbai Indians are fighting. For a team, it has gone up to six crores. What does SRH say? You bought the player, right? Return the player. Like Soori says in Vennila Kabaddi Kuzhu, they are fooling you. We’ll start again. Very unfair.” He touched on the point.
“Because, at this time, SRH has to get the fair value of the player. The problem with RTM is that it is not fair value for the player. So, if you give three RTMs, the players will only go empty-handed. Already, there is no fair value in the auction.” Ravichandran Ashwin concluded.
With many teams wanting to keep their base players in the team, it will be interesting to see the number of RTMs and retentions allowed by the governing body.
