Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has given his sharpest reaction to the ‘Right to Match’ (RTM) option in the Indian Premier League (IPL). There have been several recent changes in the retention rules for the mega-auction for the upcoming season of the IPL.
In particular, the RTM rule has caught the eye of many franchises, but Ashwin has openly expressed his disagreement with it.
Why Ashwin calls RTM ‘unfair’
In a video uploaded on his YouTube channel, Ashwin termed the RTM option as “very unfair.” Ashwin says that this rule does injustice to the players and they do not get the right price.
He explained it with an example. “Let’s say a player’s current price is Rs 5 to 6 crore. If he goes to the auction and a franchise tries to buy him back, it will only bid at a base price of Rs 2 crore.”
Ashwin clarified that this rule only benefits the team that brings the player back to the auction table.
“If teams like KKR and Mumbai Indians are bidding for a player and the bid reaches Rs 6 crore, only the team that buys the player back is happy.”
“In the process, players don’t get the right value, and only a few franchises take advantage of it.According to Ashwin, the rule discourages players and does not meet their demand.
Discussion between BCCI and IPL owners
Recently, a meeting was held between the BCCI and the IPL owners in Mumbai to discuss the mega-auction and other issues. The suggestions of the owners have been noted by the board and sent to the IPL Governing Council for a final decision.
Meanwhile, Ashwin’s statement has sparked a fresh debate on the IPL’s rules, raising concerns about the balance between players and franchises.
Ashwin’s reaction is part of an important discussion on the IPL rules and it makes it clear that the rules may need to be changed so that players can also get a fair price.
