The apex Indian cricket governing body, BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) is looking at Saudi Arabia as a potential host for the upcoming mega IPL (Indian Premier League) 2025 auction. The Indian board is considering Riyadh or Jeddah as prime locations for the event, scheduled to take place in the last week of November.

The BCCI has changed the IPL retention rules, altering the Right to Match (RTM) process. Franchises are concerned about the new rule allowing the highest bidder to raise their bid before the RTM is used.

The BCCI’s guidelines state that the highest bidder for a player at the auction can make one last bid — which could be of any value — before RTM is exercised by the team that had released the player before the retention deadline.

According to a report by Cricbuzz, the teams have written to the BCCI expressing concern at the terms and conditions of the RTM card at the IPL 2025 auction. Their concern was that this rule gives extra advantage to the highest bidder and therefore makes the advantage of having an RTM card null and void.

The BCCI’s reintroduction of the Right to Match (RTM) rule has stirred debate among IPL franchises as they prepare for the upcoming auction. The RTM, initially used in past auctions, initially allowed the franchises to match the highest bid made for a player they wished to retain.