IPL chairman Arun Dhumal confirms push to bring 2027 auction back to India

Return of IPL auction in India (Agency Image) The IPL could see two major changes ahead of the 2027 season, with the player auction likely to return to India after three years overseas and the future of the Impact Player rule again being debated. IPL chairman Arun Dhumal has expressed his desire to bring the auction back home as the BCCI seeks fresh feedback from franchises and other stakeholders on the controversial substitution rule.The auction for the 2027 season is expected to be a smaller event, with the host city yet to be finalised. The previous three editions were held outside India, in Dubai, Jeddah and Abu Dhabi. Dhumal, who is set to be re-elected as IPL chairman at the BCCI’s annual general meeting on September 18, said the league would try again to hold the auction in India.

IPL 2027 Auction: BCCI wants to bring the event back to India

The IPL auction has been held overseas for the past three years, with Dubai hosting the auction in 2024, Jeddah hosting the mega auction in 2025 and Abu Dhabi hosting the auction in 2026. Dhumal said the league had been trying to bring the event back to India but faced problems in securing a suitable venue due to the busy wedding season.“Every year we try to make it happen in India but due to the heavy wedding season we don’t get it. So we definitely want it to be here this year as it would be a smaller auction and hopefully we will get a venue,” Dhumal told PTI.The host city for the auction will be decided based on the availability of BCCI’s preferred venue.

The Impact Player rule is being discussed again ahead of IPL 2027

The future of the Impact Player rule has also emerged as a key talking point ahead of the 2027 season, with the BCCI seeking fresh feedback from franchises. The matter was discussed at the recent meeting of the IPL Governing Council after the council approached the teams for their views on the rule, which is currently set to remain in place until 2027.Several leading Indian cricketers, including Test and ODI captain Shubman Gill, former India captain Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya and Axar Patel, have expressed reservations about the rule. One key concern among players is that it diminishes the importance of all-rounders by allowing teams to bring in a specialist batsman or bowler during a match.Ahead of IPL 2026, several captains have conveyed their concerns to the BCCI and again called for the rule to be scrapped. Dhumal said the board is open to reviewing the concept but will consult all stakeholders before making a decision.“The matter is under discussion. We will take feedback from all stakeholders and then take a call on it,” he said.The Impact Player rule allows teams to substitute a player at any stage of a match, giving them the flexibility to bring in an additional batsman or bowler depending on the match situation.