IPL mega auction: Will clash of dates be a distraction for players in Perth Test?

The Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) may be the biggest cricketing event in the calendar, but it will have some competition as the spotlight shifts to another part of the globe, when Jeddah in Saudi Arabia hosts the IPL mega auction on Sunday-Monday (24-25 November). Mega bucks will fly as the event clashes with the third and fourth day of the ongoing first Test at Perth, inviting criticism from a number of quarters.   

‘’It’s the worst possible case scenario,’’ said Ricky Ponting, former Australia skipper and the new head coach of IPL franchise Punjab Kings. Ponting and his former teammate Justin Langer, head coach of Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), will be skipping their TV pundits’  duties for Channel 7 after the first day of the Perth Test to be at the auction table in Saudi Arabia. Incidentally, Daniel Vettori, former New Zealand skipper and now head coach of Royal Challengers Bengaluru, will also be leaving his commentary assignment to be part of the think tank for his franchise.

The shifting of the mega auction to West Asia for the second year in a row (with Dubai having hosted it in 2023) has been ostensibly done with an eye on wooing sponsorship from the cash-rich kingdom, but most feel the dates could have been scheduled during the nine-day gap between the first and second BGT Test in Adelaide.

“It’s the worst possible case scenario for me and JL [Langer]. We for the last couple of months felt that it was probably going to be in the gap between the Test matches. It takes all the pressure off the players from both teams. There are a lot of players in both teams in the auction,” Ponting told the Sydney Morning Herald.

“So I always thought it would have been in that gap because it just seemed better for everybody. But I don’t know why they’ve chosen the dates they have – it might have something to do with the game. The auction actually starts on air almost immediately after the end of play. So it might be something to do with broadcast,’’ he said.

“I’m calling the first day then flying out late Friday night to Jeddah. The auction is the 24th and 25th and then depending on how we’re going through our auction, we’ll see when I can return. Hopefully I’ll get back for the end of Perth and if not, I’ll be back on deck for the start of Adelaide,” Ponting said.  

Aaron Finch, former Australia T20 captain, echoed similar sentiments on an ESPN show when he said: ‘’The BCCI, when they want things to happen, they generally get their way.’’  

Pat Cummins, the Australian Test skipper, however felt the auction would not be distraction as it’s starting on both days after the day’s play (3.00 pm IST). A total of 574 players will be up for grabs, while IPL 2025 is scheduled to be held from 14 March next year.