The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has extended the deadline for players’ enrollment for the IPL 2022 Auction. With the addition of two new teams, BCCI is preparing for a mega auction as the old franchise have already retained a maximum of five players, while the two new teams Ahmedabad and Lucknow are still in the process of signing three players ahead of the auction ceremony.
According to a report in Cricbuzz the Indian cricket board has decided to extend the last day for players’ registration up to January 20.
The mega IPL 2022 auction will take place in Bengaluru on February 12 and 13.
The report further suggested that several top players from England and Australia are thinking of dropping out of the auction due to bio-bubble fatigue. Players like Ben Stokes, Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins are still in doubt over participating in the next season of IPL. While England Test captain Joe Root has already made himself unavailable for the auction as he wants to focus on Test cricket.
“I didn’t (give name for auction), no, I think that there’s a lot that we need to do for this team, which deserves all of my energy. I really hope I get the opportunity to do it. I’ll keep sacrificing as much as I can because I care so much about Test cricket in our country and trying to get us to where we can,” the England captain said after the fifth and final Ashes Test in Hobart.
Meanwhile, the BCCI has asked the two new IPL franchises – to be based out of Ahmedabad and Lucknow – to complete the signing of three players by January 22. The deadline has been given after the process of formally approving the ownership of CVC Capital for the Ahmedabad franchise was completed.
However, there are concerns over whether the season will be held in India due to the rising covid cases.
However, BCCI is keen on conducting the league in the country. “We will try to ensure that the Indian Premier League happens and in India. But we will see into this matter again in March, that how is Covid situation then,” BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla told news agency ANI.
