For the third consecutive time, the IPL auction is set to take place outside India. The BCCI has finalized the date and venue, though no official announcement has been made yet. According to board sources, this year’s IPL auction will be held in Abu Dhabi. The previous two editions were held in Dubai and Jeddah, and once again three Middle Eastern cities were in the race. Ultimately, it has been decided that this year’s auction event will take place in Dubai, where the futures of several Indian and overseas players will be determined.
The mini-auction is scheduled for December 16 in Abu Dhabi and will conclude in a single day, as usual. Franchisees must submit their retention lists by 3 PM on November 15. After that, a larger pool of released and newly registered players will be prepared. Franchises will then be asked to submit a list of players they are interested in. Based on their choices, the final auction list will be created, from which teams can pick players on December 16.
But why is the IPL auction being held abroad again? During the auction period, India experiences wedding season and multiple events, leading to hotel availability issues. Keeping these logistical challenges in mind, the auction has been hosted abroad for the past two years. Additionally, travel to Middle Eastern countries is convenient from various parts of the world, and cricket continues to expand rapidly in that region.
