IPL franchise owners and BCCI officials debated the format of future player auctions, with differing opinions on the necessity of a mega auction.
A heated debate over the future of the mega auction dominated a crucial meeting between Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise owners and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Wednesday.
Most teams expressed a preference for retaining more players and opting for smaller auctions instead of the planned mega auction ahead of the 2025 season. Kolkata Knight Riders and Sunrisers Hyderabad were among the franchises advocating for more retentions.
However, the Delhi Capitals and Punjab Kings favoured sticking with the mega-auction format. Delhi Capitals co-owner Parth Jindal expressed surprise at the level of opposition to the mega auction, stating, “I was surprised that there was a debate. Some people said that there should not be a mega auction at all and that there should be only smaller auctions. But I’m not in that camp. I feel that it evens the playing field, and it’s very good for everyone. It makes the IPL what it is. It makes it competitive.”
Jindal also voiced his team’s opposition to the impact player rule, arguing that it hinders the development of all-rounders. Punjab Kings co-owner Ness Wadia described the meeting as a productive brainstorming session where various viewpoints were exchanged. “Everyone gave their views, and everyone gave their opinions. Like I said, you have to look at all stakeholders. It was a very good brainstorming session. Our objective is that fans are happier, the media is happier, and cricketers are happier. That’s why we were here. Impact player, capped player, uncapped player—everything was discussed,” Wadia said.
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BCCI secretary Jay Shah confirmed that the board will consider the feedback from the franchises and announce a decision within a week. “The retention issue, the RTM issue, and all other aspects were discussed. We will let the franchises know about our decision in a week’s time,” Shah told reporters.
The final decision on the matter will be made by the IPL Governing Council, chaired by Arun Dhumal. Besides Jindal and Wadia, other franchise representatives present at the meeting included Shah Rukh Khan (Kolkata Knight Riders), Sanjiv Goenka (Lucknow Super Giants), Rupa Gurunath (Chennai Super Kings), Manoj Badale (Rajasthan Royals), and Prathmesh Mishra (Royal Challengers Bengaluru).
Last Updated on August 1, 2024