The BCCI was set to add two new teams to its marquee T20 league from next year onwards, with a mega auction also scheduled ahead of IPL 2022. The board put plans on hold after the suspension of the league’s 14th edition.
But with the surge of COVID-19 positive cases resulting in IPL 2021 getting postponed, the Indian board is reportedly keener to find a new window for the same rather than go ahead with its planning for next season.
“Time is not right to even talk about the new IPL teams at this stage. We have to first decide the way forward on the suspended season and then only decisions can be taken on the new teams for IPL 2022. No discussion in this regard is happening at this stage in the BCCI,”
“We don’t see any moment on this before July. We can’t give any timelines at this stage. As I said, no discussion currently in this regard is taking place in BCCI for now,”
he added.
It is understood, the earlier plan was to have two new teams finalised by this month and give all 10 franchises enough time to prepare for the IPL 2022. In the latest turn of events, however, that plan has been put on pause. BCCI will still conduct a mega auction to give teams a very fair chance of bolstering their squads ahead of the next cycle.
The Indian board had to indefinitely postpone the IPL 2021 on May 4 after a cluster of COVID-19 positive cases inside different teams’ bubbles in Delhi and Ahmedabad.
KKR players Varun Chakravarthy and Sandeep Warrier and CSK members – CEO Kasi Vishwanathan, bowling coach Laxmipathy Balaji and a Bus cleaner – had tested positive on May 3.
The news led to the rescheduling of KKR’s that day’s clash versus Royal Challengers Bangalore in Ahmedabad and also pushed CSK to inform the BCCI that they won’t be able to play their scheduled fixture on May 5 in Delhi.
Then on a horrible Tuesday (May 4), Wriddhiman Saha of Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Amit Mishra of Delhi Capitals (DC) also tested positive. Defending champions Mumbai Indians (MI), whom Sunrisers were due to play that day in Delhi, went into self-isolation as a precautionary measure.
Taking note of the situation and wary that there could be more cases observed in the coming days due to the compromised bubbles in Delhi and Ahmedabad, the BCCI and IPL governing council called an emergency meeting. In the meeting, the authorities decided that it is best for the tournament to be suspended for now and for everyone involved to go back to their families.
BCCI president Sourav Ganguly admitted that it would be really difficult to resume IPL 2021 in a busy calendar year, and especially in India, which is reeling from the devastating second wave of the pandemic.
“Too early to say how we can find a slot to complete the IPL. But it can’t happen in India.”
Ganguly told Sportstar recently.
Sri Lanka, UAE, England and even Australia have offered to play host to the remaining 31 matches of IPL 2021 since the tournament was brought to a halt. With UAE hosting the IPL safe and sound last season, it is considered the front-runner to get the nod if the BCCI does find a new window.
