Former India and IPL star Robin Uthappa has stated that the player auction format for the Indian Premier League (IPL) has done its job, and now it's time to bring respect back, as he feels the auction demeans humans by selling them as commodities.
Robin Uthappa's highest IPL auction bid was INR 3 crore, secured by the Rajasthan Royals during the 2020 IPL auction. He is a two-time IPL winner with the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and ended his IPL career with CSK, whom he had joined for INR 2 crores in IPL 2022.
Uthappa has generated new controversy about the IPL auction system, advocating for the implementation of a draft-based approach and questioning whether the traditional auction format is still appropriate for modern cricket. He believes the league has reached a point where modifications are required to maintain player respect while also strengthening team-building structures.
His comments reignited debate about whether the IPL auction process should be retained or replaced by a technique employed in other global sports leagues.
"We should stop the auction system in cricket. I understand its importance. When it first started, you wanted it to grab attention and become a big hit. But on today's date, you don't want to sell humans like commodities or have them go under the hammer.
If you look at American sports like the NFL and NBA, they have a draft system, which makes things more interesting. Yet we are still sticking to the auction because it's entertaining.
However, there is a limit to entertainment, and it feels like we're crossing that line. We need to bring that respect back into our society and communities. There is a semblance of respect, and we don't sell them as commodities on national television,” Uthappa said in a video on his Instagram channel.
Uthappa proposes implementing a draft-based system, similar to those used in major American sports leagues such as the NFL and the NBA.
In a draft model, teams choose players in a predetermined sequence, usually based on rankings or past season results, rather than bidding against one another. This organized strategy is intended to maintain competitive balance while reducing financial inequalities across franchises.
In contrast, the IPL auction uses open bidding, in which teams compete financially to secure players. While this model produces excitement and commercial interest, detractors claim that it might result in uneven team building based on spending power.
