With the IPL 2020 coming to an end with Mumbai Indians successfully defending their title, BCCI has its eyes set on the fourteenth edition of this star-studded tournament. Fans are ecstatic since they won't have to wait for one entire year to witness it.
It is confirmed that the league will be held in April-May 2021 next year. The even better thing is that next year, the IPL will be played in India. Sourav Ganguly, president of the BCCI, has confirmed the same.
The Addition of a Ninth Team
There was going to be a mega auction in December for IPL 2021, but due to the pandemic, that pushed the 2020 season to September-November. The auction will also be delayed and will most likely, be held in early 2021.
All things need to change and adapt. The IPL is no exception. The first step towards this change is the mega auction. There are several reasons for this mega auction. One of them being the addition of a ninth team to the already existing pool of eight teams.
To accommodate the new team, there should be more players in the auction pool. There are reports that the new team is likely to be from Gujarat. This is due to the newly constructed Motera stadium in Ahmedabad and BCCI wanting more games to be played there.
Why does BCCI want a Mega Auction?
BCCI had done a lot to make IPL 2020 happen. They didn't organize it in India due to the escalating situation of COVID-19 here and held it instead in UAE. The primary reason for keeping a mega auction is money.
An auction on a large scale is a sure way to enhance the financial situation of BCCI and the teams. As per reports, the cricket body has also informed the teams of the upcoming auction.
Rules of Mega Auction
Apart from 3-4 players, franchisees cannot retain any players—the mega-auctions act as a team-builder for franchisees for the next three-year cycle. We saw the previous mega auction in 2018. A record of 169 players was sold that year.
A mega auction's usual rules are that franchises can retain three players plus two players with right-to-match (RTM). Let us explain RTM to you. Suppose Royal Challengers Bangalore has released Mohammad Siraj, and Delhi Capitals has successfully bid for him for five crores. RCB can step back in and buy back Siraj for five crores with the RTM card.
For now, however, we are not sure if the same retention policy will be followed this year as there has been no official notice from the BCCI. Some franchise officials have commented that not all players should be released since that can affect various teams' brand value.
This is because the teams' brand value is built upon some star players. So, according to them, the old retention policy should continue.
Why is there Going to be a Ninth Team?
There are high chances that BCCI will base the ninth team out of Ahmedabad. The city has also been home to a former team: Gujarat Lions that was the replacement for Rajasthan Royals in 2016 and 2017.
However, the validity of the team expired when the ban on Rajasthan Royals lifted. 2020 has been a low-revenue period for everyone, including BCCI. With a new franchise in the IPL, BCCI is hoping to earn some extra income.
Who will Own the New Team?
Ahmedabad is the home of numerous business conglomerates and tycoons. So in all likelihood, there will be many contenders vying for the team. The most probable owner is going to be Gautam Adani from the Adani group. But for now, we can do nothing but wait to see who will bag the tender.
When can we Witness the Auction?
As per the original schedule, BCCI was going to hold the auction in December. But due to delays in the entire 2020 season and the pandemic, that looks impossible. The probable time for holding the IPL auction is early 2021 after the finer details have been worked out.
After the end of the thirteenth edition, cricket fans worldwide can't get enough of this glorious league. The first step is the auction and let us hope it is a memorable one.
Written By - Abdullah Shamsi
Edited By - Dana Asnan
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