IPL 2022 – BCCI worried ahead of IPL 2022 Mega Auction – In three months time, BCCI will host the 10-team IPL with more players, more teams and more franchise officials. But ahead of the IPL 2022 Mega Auction, the list of worries for the Sourav Ganguly-led board is growing. Follow IPL 2022 Mega Auction Live Updates on InsideSport.IN.
India is currently witnessing a surge in Covid-19 cases with over 1700 cases of Omicron variant already detected. The Ranji Trophy 2022, I-League 2022 amongst other sporting events are already under the grip of Covid-19.
IPL 2022: BCCI getting very worried about 3 things before IPL 2022 Mega Auction in February – Check out
Amongst all of these, BCCI is set to conduct the IPL 2022 Mega Auction with all 10 IPL franchises and their officials attending the two-day event in Bengaluru on February 12 and 13. The city is also reporting a surge in cases and that could spoil BCCI’s plans.
Apart from that, the pending issue of the CVC Capital-backed Ahmedabad franchise is yet to be resolved.
InsideSport takes a look at the three big issues that BCCI is currently facing ahead of IPL 2022 mega auction.
1. Covid-19 Outbreak: With over 1,700 cases of Omicron variant and over 33,000 daily cases, India is facing a third wave of Covid-19. In April 2020, India faced a devastating second wave and the IPL had to be moved to the UAE.
The BCCI doesn’t want to take any chances. The Ranji Trophy is already facing a Covid outbreak and the U-16 Vijay Merchant Trophy cancelled, the IPL 2022 facing a big threat.
Before that, the auction is also a problem. With the Karnataka government set to issue fresh Covid restrictions, putting a cap on the gatherings, BCCI may be forced to shift the auction venue.
2. Ahmedabad IPL Franchise verdict: Only a month to go to for the auction and the CVC Capital-backed Ahmedabad team is yet to receive the ‘Letter of Intent’.
With a diktat from BCCI on not approaching any player, the Ahmedabad franchise owners are yet to start its recruitment process while another new franchise Lucknow has already roped in the head coach and the batting coach apart from its captain.
Ahmedabad franchise will start late but only when it gets formal approval. They are yet to start recruitment of support staff or other necessary preparations which will be a big setback for the team.
Swaagat nahi karoge hamara? 😉 pic.twitter.com/ha52qmFl8I
— Official Lucknow IPL Team (@TeamLucknowIPL) January 3, 2022
3. ECB/CA’s apprehension on sending players: BCCI has asked other cricket boards to send the list of players who want to be in IPL 2022 Mega Auction by January 17. However, Engalnd & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and Cricket Australia are apprehensive about that due to various reasons.
For ECB, the reason is the Ashes thrashing. Many former England players blame IPL for the Test team’s poor form as the players miss a big chunk of domestic matches. For Cricket Australia, it is worried about a potential Covid impact. The last time, Australian players faced challenging month-long exile after IPL 2021 was suspended. The stringent Covid restriction in Australia prevented them from entering their own country.
“Players should not miss international duty to play in the IPL, nor be rested and rotated to allow them to play elsewhere. The carry-on during the winter, and at the start of the English summer, should not happen again,” former England skipper Michael Atherton wrote in his column on The Times.
“The leading multi-format players are paid seven-figure sums, but, incredibly, the ECB washes its hands of them for two months of the year during the Indian Premier League,” Michael Atherton added.
IPL 2022: BCCI getting very worried about 3 things before IPL 2022 Mega Auction in February – Check out
