The 2021 edition of the IPL player auction will be held on February 18 in Chennai, the board has informed via social media on Wednesday (January 27). This development has come after the IPL Governing Council meeting on January 6 where it was decided that the next edition of the lucrative will remain as an eight-team event.
Meanwhile, the Southern Indian city is slotted to host the first two Tests against England under bio-secure environment. With the second Test scheduled to end on February 17, the organisers have created this window on the next day for this mini auction before the caravan of the India-England series moves to Ahmedabad.
Prior to the auction the eight franchises had already announced their list of retained and released players by the deadline of January 20.
Meanwhile, keeping the COVID situation in the country in mind, it is not yet certain whether the tournament would be held in India or not. Though the BCCI and IPL Governing Council had earlier maintained their stance on organising this year’s event on home soil but in order to take the final call they need clearance from the government and other authorities. As a backup option, it is understood that the United Arab Emirates, where the 2020 edition took place, remains the first go-to option for the board.