IPL auction 2025 rules: RTM card, accelerated auction, base price process explained – All you needed to know

Ahead of the start of the IPL 2025 mega auction in Jingedah, we take a look at some of the key rules.

The mega auction for the 2025 season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is all set to commence on Sunday, November 24, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. This is only the second time an IPL auction is being held outside India, the previous being in 2024 in Dubai.

A total of 574 players will go beneath the hammer on Sunday and Monday. The list includes as many as 48 capped Indians, where all eyes will be on India stars Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul, and Shreyas Iyer, all of whose are in the INR 2 crore list. The list also includes 193 capped international players.

However, with the 10 franchises retention a total of 46 players, only 2-04 slots will be filled during the two-day mega event, with teams having a cap of just 25 players in a squad. The rule also specifies that each squad can only comprise eight overseas players, implying only 70 international cricketers will be fortunate enough to grab an IPL contract on November 24 and 25.

Ahead of the beginning of the IPL 2025 mega auction in Jeddah, we take a look at some of the key rules:

What is an RTM card?

The IPL Governing Council reintroduced the Right-To-Match card after it was last used in the mega auction in 2018. It will allow franchises to retain one of the players they had released at the auction, providing they did not retain a full quota of 6 players.

Depending on the rule, a franchise can use the option to match the highest bid for the player at the auction, who was part of their squad in the previous season. However, in a major twist for this edition of the auction, IPL will permit the team placing the original bid on the player to go one bid higher after the RTM card is used. If the franchise then considers to match the higher bid at the auction, they will retain the player, or otherwise the player will join the team placing the original bid.

Only Rajasthan Royals and Kolkata Knight Riders won’t be permitted to use the RTM at this auction.

Which players will be introduced first?

The IPL auction process will begin with two marquee sets, consisting of six players each. The first set has three overseas players, whereas the next has just two. But all eyes will be on Pant and Iyer, both part of the opening set, whereas Rahul is in the second set.

The marquee sets will be followed by a list of capped players based on their specializations: batsmen, all-rounders, wicketkeepers, fast bowlers, and spinners. That will be followed by uncapped players, again based on their specialties.

The process will ultimately end with the accelerated auction.

On day 1 of the event, first-12 sets and 84 players will go under the hammer.

The process, as reported by Cricbuzz, will be as follows: the two marquee sets, followed by lunch, then capped batters, all-rounders, and wicketkeepers. This will be followed by a 15-minute recession. Next will be capped bowlers, then another break and then the first set of noncapped players. Day 2 will encompass the rest of the players. The procedure will remain the same until the 116th player, followed by the accelerated auction.

What is an accelerated auction?

Despite 574 players being shortlisted for the auction list, each player is unlikely to go under the hammer. The accelerated auction process will hence commence after the 116th player, making Ricky Bhui (117th), part of the second list of uncapped players, will be the first player as part of the accelerated auction process.

This part of the auction will be conducted in two parts. In the first, all franchises will be asked to list their preferred players – from 117 to 574 – to be presented during the accelerated auction process. The second part will encompass all players on the list who were either not sold or not presented during the first accelerated auction process.