IPL auctions not to be brought ahead

While reports suggested that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) was apparently planning to host the mega event in Goa in the last week of December, top BCCI officials and franchise bosses confirmed to Sportstar that there was no truth to the matter.

While Goa could be preferred as a venue — depending on whether the accommodation facilities are available — there are suggestions to keep it to Bengaluru only.

The social media went abuzz on Sunday morning with reports claiming that the much-awaited player auctions for the Indian Premier League (IPL) would be brought ahead to December 28 — a month before its proposed schedule.

While reports suggested that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) was apparently planning to host the mega event in Goa in the last week of December, top BCCI officials and franchise bosses confirmed to Sportstar that there was no truth to the matter. Rather, they agreed that the event would be held between January 25 and February 6.

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While Goa could be preferred as a venue — depending on whether the accommodation facilities are available — there are suggestions to keep it to Bengaluru only.

“The auction is not being brought forward. There has been no such discussion,” a top board official told this publication, admitting that with lots of changes in the system, both the board and the franchises would need time to prepare. “It is just not possible to organise such a big event in a week’s time,” the official added.

Even the franchise owners made it clear that they would require sufficient time to get the house in order. “All such reports are baseless. One has to understand that it is humanly not possible to do something in such short notice,” a franchise owner told Sportstar on the condition of anonymity.

With the IPL governing council introducing quite a few structural changes, the player auctions is likely to witness a windfall for the players. The comeback of Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals have also spiced up the situation.

One of the player agents, associated with some of the major international players, also confirmed that at the moment only the reece is being done. “There is a long and proper way to include a player in the auctions. It doesn’t happen overnight. So, the speculation of holding the auctions in the last week of December is just not possible. Who will we put up for the auction?” the agent questioned.

It is also learnt that the franchises will be sent a final dos and don’ts list by the board ahead of the auctions.