The BCCI intends to hold the two-day mega Indian Premier League auction in Bengaluru on February 7 and 8, according to a senior BCCI official on Wednesday.
It could be the last mega auction that BCCI holds, as most of the original IPL franchises want it to end.
“Unless the COVID-19 situation worsens, India will host the IPL mega auction. The two-day event will be held on February 7 and 8, and, as in previous years, it will be held in Bengaluru. Preparations are currently underway “On condition of anonymity, a senior BCCI official told PTI.
There have been reports that the auction will be held in the UAE, but BCCI has stated that this is not the case.
However, with the emergence of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 and an increase in cases, the situation will remain fluid; however, if there are restrictions on overseas travel (unless all owners choose to use charter planes), conducting it in India will be less of a logistical nightmare.
This year’s IPL will feature ten teams, with Sanjiv Goenka’s Lucknow franchise and venture capital firm CVC’s Ahmedabad making their debuts in the cash-rich league.
CVC is still waiting for its Letter of Intent from the BCCI, but it is expected to be approved within the next few weeks.
Both teams have until Christmas to announce their three draught picks, but the BCCI may extend the deadlines for both because CVC has yet to receive clearance.
Most franchise owners believe that mega auctions have outlived their usefulness, and that having auctions every three years jeopardises a team’s composition and balance.
Parth Jindal, co-owner of the Delhi Capitals, has stated publicly that it is difficult to release players after putting in the effort to build a team.
“It is heartbreaking to see Shreyas Iyer, Shikhar Dhawan, Kagiso Rabada, and Ashwin depart. The auction procedure is similar to this. Going forward, the IPL should consider this because it is not fair to build a team, give opportunities to young players, groom them and get opportunities from franchises, play for the country, and then lose them after three years “Jindal stated this after the retention of players was announced on November 30.