IPL 2027 auction to return to India after three years abroad, says Arun Dhumal

The IPL players' auction for the 2027 season is set to return to India after three editions were held overseas, with league chairman Arun Dhumal saying the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is keen to bring the event back home.

The previous three auctions were held in Dubai, Jeddah and Abu Dhabi, with the 2025 mega auction taking place in Jeddah.

"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 told PTI.

Dhumal is set to be re-elected as IPL chairman at the BCCI Annual General Meeting on September 18. The host city for the auction will be decided based on the availability of the BCCI's preferred venue.

The contentious Impact Player rule was also discussed at a recent IPL Governing Council meeting, with the BCCI seeking fresh feedback from the franchises.

The rule is currently scheduled to remain in place until the 2027 season, but the BCCI is open to reviewing it, Dhumal said.

"The matter is under discussion. Will take feedback from all the stakeholders and then take a call on this," he said.

The Impact Player rule allows teams to substitute a player at any stage of an IPL match.

Several prominent players, including India's ODI and Test captain Shubman Gill, former captain Rohit Sharma, all-rounder Hardik Pandya and Axar Patel, have expressed reservations about the rule. One of the concerns raised is that the rule dilutes the role of genuine all-rounders.

Ahead of IPL 2026, a majority of captains had also conveyed their reservations about the Impact Player rule to the BCCI, leading to renewed calls for it to be scrapped.

Meanwhile, Khairul Majumdar is also set to be re-elected to the IPL Governing Council alongside Dhumal during the BCCI AGM this week.- EndsPublished By: Saurabh KumarPublished On: Sep 16, 2026 16:28 IST