The Right to Match card in IPL Mega Auction is a thing that every team loves to use. Generally, they use this card to get their popular Indian players back. If the franchise retained their popular Indian players before the auction, then they use the RTM card to buy their foreign players back.
Almost cricket fan would know that the Right to Match card was also known as the Joker Card. In this system, a released player goes under the hammer. Other teams bid for him, and after the bidding ends, the auctioneer asks the original team if they want the player back. The twist in this system is that the original franchise that released the player will have to match the last bid to get the player back.
Over the years, the franchises have used their RTM cards wisely. In this article, we will look at the five popular Indian players who returned to their team via RTM.
5. Pragyan Ojha
Pragyan Ojha was one of the top spinners during his prime days. The left-arm spinner was a part of the Mumbai Indians squad when they lifted the championship for the first time in 2013.
However, because of mega auction rules, MI let go of Ojha. The Delhi Capitals then signed him for 3.25 crores rupees at the auction, but Mumbai did not allow him to go by matching the bid.
4. One of the most popular Indian players – Shikhar Dhawan
Shikhar Dhawan entered the IPL 2018 Mega Auction. The left-handed batsman had set his base price at 2 crores rupees. The Punjab Kings and the Rajasthan Royals started the bidding war for Dhawan.
The Mumbai Indians also joined in, but Punjab won the war with a 5.2 crores bid. Eventually, Sunrisers Hyderabad used their RTM card to get Dhawan back.
3. Robin Uthappa
Former IPL Orange Cap winner Robin Uthappa was another opening batsman who entered the IPL Auction in 2018. Uthappa also set his base price at 2 crores.
Mumbai Indians and Rajasthan Royals fought an intense bidding war for him, with MI winning it eventually. However, KKR matched their bid of 6.40 crores to take Uthappa back.
2. One of the most popular Indian players – Ajinkya Rahane
Ajinkya Rahane was a part of the Rajasthan Royals team in IPL 2015. After returning from suspension, RR had a choice to retain Rahane but they allowed him to enter the auction.
At the mega auction, the Punjab Kings signed him for 4 crores after a bidding war with Mumbai Indians. However, RR used their RTM card and then announced Rahane as their captain.
1. Krunal Pandya
Krunal Pandya has been one of the top performers for the Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League. However, he could have been playing for RCB right now.
Pandya entered the IPL Auction 2018 with a base price of 40 lakhs. Rajasthan Royals, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Royal Challengers showed interest in him. Lastly, RCB won the race with an 8.8 crore bid, but MI used RTM. One can only imagine how things could have been if Hardik Pandya and Rohit Sharma were playing for Mumbai Indians and Krunal Pandya and Virat Kohli were in the RCB team.
