NEW DELHI: Three-time Indian Premier League (IPL) champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) did not use the Right to Match (RTM) card for Shreyas Iyer during the IPL 2025 auction.
This decision stems from their earlier strategy of retaining players, which limited their ability to exercise RTM rights. According to the IPL rules, teams can either retain a maximum of six players or have six RTM options.If a team retains fewer players, the number of RTMs increases.
KKR had already utilized their retention slots for key players, such as Rinku Singh (Rs 13 crore), Varun Chakravarthy, Sunil Narine, and Andre Russell (Rs 12 crore each), Harshit Rana and Ramandeep Singh (Rs 4 crore each).
As a result, KKR were left without the option to exercise RTM for Iyer, even though they would have liked to keep him in the squad.
Iyer, who had been integral to KKR’s title win in 2024 and previously led Delhi Capitals to the playoffs, was one of the most sought-after players in the auction.
His base price was set at Rs 2 crore, but the bidding quickly escalated. Punjab Kings (PBKS) emerged as the highest bidder, securing him for Rs 26.75 crore, narrowly edging out Delhi Capitals (DC), who bid Rs 26.50 crore.
Despite the fact that KKR did not use the RTM card, it is clear they valued Iyer highly. However, they likely faced budget constraints or prioritized other players, considering the larger balance of their squad.
Iyer’s departure was a significant loss for KKR, but it also highlighted the complexities of IPL’s retention and auction strategy.
In this case, KKR’s earlier retention decisions and the fierce competition for Iyer ultimately led to them missing out on their star player, with PBKS gaining a major addition to their squad.