The BCCI is scheduled to host the two-day mega Indian Premier League auction in Bengaluru on February 7 and 8, a senior BCCI official announced on Wednesday. It could well be the last mega auction that BCCI might administer as most of the original IPL franchises want it to be terminated. “Unless the COVID-19 crisis 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 intend to hold it in Bengaluru. Preparations for it are underway,” a senior BCCI official stated on the conditions of anonymity. There were rumors that an auction will be hosted in the UAE but presently, BCCI has no such plans. Regardless of the situation arising due to the Omicron variant of COVID-19 and cases on the surge, the condition will stay fluid but if there are constraints with regards to overseas travel, administering it in India will be a logistical nightmare.
Dhoni’s agency in the search for a new IPL club
The present year’s IPL will be a 10-team affair with Sanjiv Goenka acquiring the Lucknow franchise along with venture capital firm CVC acquired Ahmedabad making their debut in the expensive league. CVC is still waiting for its Letter of Intent from the BCCI but is anticipated to get an all-clear in the forthcoming weeks. Both teams have time till Christmas to declare their three draft choices however BCCI might broaden the dates for both as CVC is yet to obtain authorization. Several franchise holders believe that mega auctions have upheld their sell-by-date and a team’s composition and balance get harshly jeopardized when the auctions take place after every three years. Delhi Capitals co-owner Parth Jindal had stated the difficulty to let go of players after having put in so much time and effort to assemble a team. Meanwhile, another agency revealed that the auction will be held at Bengaluru or Kochi in February.
