Ravichandran Ashwin rages against RTM option in IPL auctions, calls it pinnacle of unfairness for players

India offspinner Ravichandran Ashwin has given his opinion on the Right to Match (RTM) option in the Indian Premier League (IPL) mega-auctions. Recently, there has been a lot of talk about the change in the retention rules for the mega-auction for the upcoming season of IPL.

Various franchises were in favor of having the rule of RTM for the purpose of retaining some of the key players in their squad. It is a rule that allows a franchise to buy the player back despite putting him back on the auction table by checking his signing price.

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Ravichandran Ashwin calls the RTM rule in IPL 'very unfair'

In a video uploaded on his YouTube channel, Ravichandran Ashwin spoke about this rule and was clearly not in favor of it. Ashwin reckons that the RTM rule would be unfair to the player as it will not provide value to his demand. Ashwin elaborated his point by giving a perfect example and claimed the rule to be unfair to the player.

"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. 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," Ashwin explained.

Ravichandran Ashwin explains his point

Ashwin further stated how the rule makes it discouraging for the players. He claimed that only the team that put the player back on the auction table would benefit from this rule.

"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. 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," Ashwin elaborated.

During the video, Ashwin mentioned how the team that has the option of RTM would not bid after the base price at all, which will not provide the right demand to the player.

There is no fair value to the player in RTM, claims Ravichandran Ashwin

Ashwin even claimed that the player has no value in this rule, which makes the rule even more unfair for them.

"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. 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," Ashwin further explained.

Recently, the BCCI and the IPL owners had a meeting at BCCI's office in Mumbai and they reportedly discussed on various topics ahead of the mega-auction. It is believed that the suggestions of the owners have been noted by the board and have been forwarded to the IPL governing council, who will take a final decision.