IPL chairman Arun Dhumal keen to bring 2027 auction back to India

The IPL 2027 players’ auction is likely to return to India after three editions overseas, league chairman Arun Dhumal said. He also said the BCCI is reviewing the Impact Player rule after seeking fresh feedback from teams and stakeholders

New Delhi: The IPL players’ auction for the 2027 season is set to be held in India, with league chairman Arun Dhumal saying he is keen to bring the event back home after it was held overseas for the past three years.

The past three editions of the auction were held in Dubai, Jeddah (mega auction) and Abu Dhabi.

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“Every year we try for this to happen in India, but we don’t get the venue given the heavy marriage season. So, we definitely want it to be here this year, given that it would be a smaller auction and hopefully we will get the venue,” Dhumal, who is set to be re-elected as IPL chairman during the BCCI AGM on September 18, told PTI.

The host city of the auction will be decided based on the availability of the BCCI’s preferred venue.

At a recent Governing Council meeting, the contentious Impact Player concept was also discussed after the BCCI asked the teams for fresh feedback on the rule that is supposed to be in place until 2027.

Among the players who have expressed reservations about the Impact Player rule are India ODI and Test captain Shubman Gill, former captain Rohit Sharma, star all-rounder Hardik Pandya and Axar Patel. The majority of them argue that it dilutes the role of an all-rounder.

Ahead of IPL 2026, a majority of captains had conveyed their reservations to the BCCI, fuelling fresh calls for scrapping the rule. The BCCI is open to reviewing the Impact Player concept, Dhumal said.

“The matter is under discussion. Will take feedback from all the stakeholders and then take a call on this,” Dhumal added.

The strategic rule allows teams to make a substitution at any stage of the game.

Apart from Dhumal, Khairul Majumdar will also be re-elected to the IPL Governing Council on the sidelines of the AGM this week.