The 2022 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) will feature 10 teams with the addition of Lucknow and Ahmedabad franchises. Much to the delight of the fans, a mega auction will be held next year.
According to a PTI report, the BCCI is planning to hold the two-day mega auction on February 7 and 8 in Bengaluru.
It could well be the last mega auction in the IPL as most of the franchises want it to be discontinued.
“Unless the COVID-19 situation worsens, we will have the IPL mega auction in India. The two-day event will be held on February 7 and 8 and like other years, we plan to hold it in Bengaluru. Preparations are underway,” a senior BCCI official told PTI on conditions of anonymity.
Earlier, it was reported that the auction will be held in UAE but BCCI has no such plans as of now.
However, with the emergence of Omicron variant of COVID-19 and cases on the rise, the situation will remain fluid but if there are restrictions with regards to overseas travel (unless all owners decide to use charter planes), conducting it in India will be less of a logistical nightmare.
Meanwhile, both the new franchises have time till Christmas to name their three draft picks but BCCI might extend the dates for both as CVC Capital Partners, Ahmedabad’s owner, is yet to get clearance over the betting allegations.
Most of the franchise owners are of the opinion that mega auctions impact a team’s composition and balance gets severely compromised.
In fact, Delhi Capitals co-owner Parth Jindal had said this on record how it is tough to release players after building a team over the course of time.
“It is very sad to lose Shreyas Iyer, Shikhar Dhawan, Kagiso Rabada and Ashwin. The auction process itself is something like this. Going forward, IPL should look at this because it’s not that you build a team, give chances to young players, groom them and get them opportunities from franchises, play for the country and then you lose them after three years,” Jindal had said after players’ retention was announced November 30.
(With PTI inputs)
