In a historic move, the 17th Indian Premier League, IPL 2024 auction is set to break tradition by appointing the first-ever female auctioneer, Mallika Sagar, to lead the event. Known for her significant role in the Women’s Premier League, Sagar will replace Hugh Edmeades, marking a groundbreaking moment for the IPL. The auction is scheduled to take place at the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai on December 19, starting at 1:00 PM IST, and will be live-streamed and telecasted in India.
A total of 333 cricketers will be up for auction, comprising 214 Indians and 119 overseas players. Notably, the auction includes two players from associate nations, reflecting the IPL’s commitment to global inclusivity. Each IPL squad can consist of 18 to 25 members, with the flexibility to include up to eight foreigners.
Franchises have collectively retained 173 players, with Chennai Super Kings, Lucknow Super Giants, and Sunrisers Hyderabad retaining 19 players each. CSK and SRH have three overseas slots, while LSG has two. Kolkata Knight Riders have released the most players, parting ways with 13 members. The auction aims to fill 77 slots, including 30 overseas positions.
Cricketers are grouped into three categories: Indian capped, Indian uncapped, and overseas, with further segregation based on roles such as batters, bowlers, all-rounders, and wicket-keepers. Most teams have opted to retain their core players in the mini-auction, emphasizing continuity.
To facilitate competitive bidding, the franchise purse limit has been increased to INR 100 crore. Teams participate by raising a paddle after the auctioneer introduces a player’s name. Each raise increases the player’s price by a predetermined amount. Raises up to INR 1 crore result in a 20-lakh increment, while raises above a crore lead to a 25-lakh increase. After the INR 2 crore mark, the incremental amount becomes INR 50 lakh.
Players set a base price that serves as the starting point for bidding, ensuring they are not sold for less than the stipulated amount. Bidding continues until all squads are filled. The price brackets for players range from a minimum of INR 20 lakh to a maximum of INR 2 crore, adding an extra layer of excitement to the high-stakes auction.
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