NEW DELHI: The IPL 2027 player auction is set to return to India after the Indian Premier League’s recent practice of conducting its auctions overseas. The decision was taken at the IPL Governing Council meeting on September 15, according to sources familiar with the developments.
The 2027 auction will be a mini-auction, while the mega auction scheduled for the following year could once again be held outside India, the sources said.
The decision to bring the auction back to India follows concerns raised by IPL franchises over the logistical challenges and expenses involved in sending large delegations overseas for a relatively smaller auction.
The previous IPL auctions were held in Dubai, Jeddah and Abu Dhabi, following the last auction conducted in India in Kochi in 2023.
Venue yet to be finalised
Although the BCCI has decided to hold the 2027 auction in India, the venue has not yet been finalised.
Accommodation availability is expected to be a major factor in selecting the host city. The auction is likely to be held during India’s busy wedding season between October and December, making hotel availability particularly challenging.
According to reports, the BCCI may require more than 100 hotel rooms for franchise delegations for around two nights. The availability of suitable five-star hotels could therefore determine which cities remain in consideration.
IPL chairman Arun Dhumal confirmed that the BCCI wants to conduct the auction in India but acknowledged the difficulties involved in finding an appropriate venue during the wedding season.
“Every year we try for this to happen in India, but we don’t get the venue given the heavy marriage season. So, we definitely want it to be here this year, given that it would be a smaller auction and hopefully we will get the venue,” Dhumal told PTI.
Dhumal is also set to be re-elected as IPL chairman at the BCCI Annual General Meeting on September 18, according to the report.
Impact Player rule remains under discussion
The future of the Impact Player rule was also discussed during the Governing Council meeting, but the BCCI did not take a final decision.
The issue is expected to be revisited at another meeting in approximately a month.
Most IPL franchises are understood to be opposed to continuing the rule, although some teams have reportedly argued that it could remain for another season. Their position is that squad-building decisions for the current cycle were made with the Impact Player rule in place, and that any change could instead be considered after another season.
Dhumal said the BCCI would consult all stakeholders before reaching a decision.
“The matter is under discussion. Will take a feedback from all the stakeholders and then take a call on this,” Dhumal said.
The final decision on the Impact Player rule will therefore come after further consultation, while the BCCI continues its search for a suitable Indian venue for the IPL 2027 mini-auction.
