IPL auction set for a twist as BCCI eyes overseas venue with Abu Dhabi leading the Gulf race: Report

The Indian Premier League (IPL) auction could once again be held away from home, as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is considering multiple destinations in the Gulf for the event. Although nothing is official yet, all 10 franchises have been informally tipped off about the shift, but are unaware of the venue city.

According to a report in Cricbuzz, Abu Dhabi has emerged as the frontrunner, but other Middle Eastern countries, such as Oman and Qatar, are also under consideration. If the BCCI makes it official, this will be the third consecutive year that the IPL auction will be held overseas. For the IPL 2024 season, it was held in Dubai, while for 2025, Jeddah was the host city.

The report noted that this represents a clear deviation from their earlier plan and intention to host the upcoming auction in India. However, the reason behind BCCI’s consideration largely pertains to challenges in finding an ideal venue, as the proposed window overlaps with India’s busy festival and wedding season. However, the auction will be held in mid-December. The Indian board is expected to make the official announcement before November 15, the deadline for franchises to submit their retention and release lists for IPL 2026.

With the deadline date just two weeks away, there has been considerable buzz around a few players, most significantly Sanju Samson. Cricbuzz had earlier reported that the India wicketkeeper-batter has asked Rajasthan Royals to release or trade him before the auction. While he is contractually obligated to play for the franchise until the end of the next season, implying the franchise CEO has every right to retain him for the next season, Rajasthan surely don’t want an unhappy dressing room. In fact, the report stated that the Royals’ lead owner, Manoj Badale, personally reached out to all franchises regarding a possible trade deal. While Chennai Super Kings emerged as a strong candidate to acquire Samson, a deal that made quite some sense given that they have long been in search of an able replacement for MS Dhoni, but CSK were reportedly not eager to give up any player in exchange.