The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has reportedly decided to replace Hugh Edmeades with Mallika Sagar as the official auctioneer for the upcoming IPL 2024 mini-auction.

According to Sportstar, Edmeades was informed by the BCCI that his services are not required for the one-day event, which is set to take place on December 19 in Dubai, UAE.

BCCI opted not to continue with Edmeades after five seasons and are considering Mallika Sagar, known for her role as the auctioneer for the Women's Premier League (WPL), for the IPL 2024 mini-auction, pending her availability. 

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Edmeades took over as the official IPL auctioneer in 2018, replacing Richard Madley, and has been conducting all auctions since then. Notably, Edmeades has conducted over 2,500 auctions globally.

Over the last few years, Edmeades has been synonymous with IPL auction and even though he would not be in action this time around, the Englishman could still be considered for the mega auction in 2024.

Meanwhile, Mallika Sagar, an auctioneer at Pundole's in Mumbai, is not new in the field. She made history in 2021 when she became the first woman to conduct auctions in the Pro Kabaddi League.

With the possibility of Mallika taking over the auctioneer's role from Edmeades, cricket fans are excited about the fresh perspective she could bring to the IPL 2024 mini-auction in Dubai.

Mallika will return to host the WPL auction on Saturday, December 9, in Mumbai.

(With Sportstar Inputs)