Who is most likely to receive the highest bid? Which players have been left out? Who is the auctioneer?
It’s that time of year again: hammer season. The IPL auction has arrived, a day that will determine the fate of many players. Which players will be relocated? Who will remain unsold? Which players will teams spend big money on? Will there be any surprise selections? Everything you need to know about the 2024 IPL auction is right here.
Another auction? Is it the same as the one held last year?
Yes, it is. A small auction, the final one before the IPL enters another major auction in preparation for the IPL 2025. The ten IPL clubs have retained and traded a number of players and will try to fill their remaining roster spots. This auction is not the same as the previous year’s big auction. The nucleus of a squad remains mostly unaltered during a mini auction as they struggle to strike the appropriate balance and fill gaps.
Sounds amazing. So, how many slots are there?
According to the BCCI, 1166 participants registered for this year’s auction, with 333 names shortlisted by the teams: 214 Indians and 119 abroad players. There are 116 capped players, 215 uncapped players, and two players from Associate nations. There are still 77 open positions throughout the 10 teams. Thirty of these have been reserved for international players.
Awesome. When and where will the auction take place?
The auction will be place in Dubai on December 19 for the first time.
So far, there has been a lot of debate about money. How much money does each team have left over?
Gujarat Titans have the most money of any team: INR 38.15 crore (about USD 4.6 million) and must fill eight positions (two of which are overseas). Lucknow Super Giants had the smallest available budget: INR 13.15 crore (about USD 1.58 million) to fill six seats (two overseas). The franchisees have a total remaining purse of INR 262.95 crore (about USD 31.58 million).
Large numbers. What is the auction procedure?
Based on their specialization, the players have been grouped into 19 different sets: batter, allrounder, fast bowler, spinner, and wicketkeeper. After a few sets, capped and uncapped players will rotate.
A total of 23 players have enrolled in the highest base price bracket – INR 2 crore (about USD 240,000). Mitchell Starc, Travis Head, Umesh Yadav, and Shardul Thakur are among them. Thirteen participants have set their starting price at INR 1.5 crore (about USD 180,000).
When and where will the IPL auction take place?
The player auction will begin at 11.30am local time (1:00pm IST) at the Coca Cola Arena in Dubai. It will be broadcast live on Star Sports Network* and streamed live on the JioCinema app.
