The upcoming IPL auction, set to take place in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on November 24 and 25, will feature a unique structure with two sets of marquee players, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed on Thursday. This will mark a departure from the 2022 mega-auction, which had a single marquee list. The dual marquee lists will comprise 8-9 players each, giving franchises the opportunity to secure top talent right from the start.
A Stellar Line-up of Marquee Players
Among the high-profile names expected to be included in the marquee player sets are some of the biggest stars in world cricket. Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, Mohammed Siraj, Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Ravichandran Ashwin, Mitchell Starc, and Jos Buttler are among the players tipped to feature in the elite category. While Ben Stokes would have been a strong contender, he has opted out of the auction this year.
Each marquee player will have a base price of INR 2 crore, and it is anticipated that the bidding in these first two sets could see franchises splurge between INR 200-250 crore on acquiring their prized players. This spending spree will likely account for 30-50% of the total auction purse.
Auction Dynamics and Big-Purse Players
The structure of the auction, with two marquee player sets, is expected to shape the dynamics of the proceedings. Franchises, who have already retained 46 players at a total cost of INR 558.5 crore, will likely use a significant portion of their remaining purse on these marquee players. With a total available purse of INR 641.5 crore, it’s expected that at least two high-profile players will be acquired by each team, potentially pushing their spending in the range of INR 20-25 crore per player.
Punjab Kings, with the largest purse of INR 110.5 crore, are expected to come out on top in terms of securing the best talent available in the marquee list. Their financial advantage positions them to acquire multiple big-ticket players.
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Diverse Player Pool and Auction Register
The IPL auction will feature a comprehensive list of 1,574 players, including 1,165 Indian players and 409 overseas cricketers. The auction will be highly diverse, with 320 capped players, 1,224 uncapped Indian players, and 30 Associate players making up the bulk of the list. Additionally, there are 122 overseas players with capped experience and 104 uncapped international players who have shown promise in previous seasons.
Franchises were recently asked by the BCCI to suggest additional players for inclusion, and the final list will be revealed shortly. A total of 46 players have already been retained, reducing the pool of available talent slightly, but still leaving ample opportunities for franchises to bolster their squads.
What to Expect on Auction Day
The two-day auction in Jeddah promises to be an exciting affair, with all eyes on the marquee sets, where the top players are expected to fetch record bids. These first sets will set the tone for the entire auction, with each franchise looking to acquire a mix of experience and youthful energy.
With 204 players expected to be transacted, including up to 70 overseas cricketers, the auction will be a critical event in shaping the fortunes of IPL teams for the 2024 season. Teams will also be looking to bolster their squads with uncapped Indian players who have previously shown promise or performance in domestic cricket.
As the countdown to the IPL 2024 auction begins, all eyes are on Jeddah, where the next wave of cricketing stars will be bought, sold, and potentially reshaped for glory in the world’s most popular T20 league.
