Following the success of the Indian Premier League in UAE this year, the tournament returns home next season. The IPL 2021 is set to start in April, but between now and then, the Board of Cricket Control of India (BCCI) has got its hands full in trying to figure out the logistics, possible player auctions, and expanding the league.

Will Ahmedabad be the 9th Team?

According to the reports circulating on the internet, Ahmedabad city is all but set to join the world’s most popular T20 cricket team as the ninth team. While an official decision is yet to be made on the matter, the likelihood of the league expanding is growing by the day.

Ahmedabad leads the race currently and is at the top for consideration, followed by Lucknow and Kanpur. Of course, this Gujarat megacity has a better chance of making the cut, considering that it has now got the largest cricket stadium in the world. Of course, it is yet to be seen if the fans will be allowed inside the stadium for the next edition of the IPL.

This is more than likely to make online cricket betting much more interesting for Indian punters, who may benefit from more competitive odds and possibly, a diverse list of players to bet on.

In terms of owning this new franchise, a few big names have already thrown their hats in the ring. As per the rumors, the Adani and Goenka Group are more than interested in owning the team although, it is up to the BCCI to allot the grant and tenders.

Mega Player Auction in December?

If we are to see a new team for the IPL 2021, then it is more than likely that we will also see a new player auction. Some teams like Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bangalore are in dire need of this, who are looking to revamp the squad and get back to their winning ways. In fact, many other teams have also expressed a lively interest in the same.

CSK had what is undoubtedly one of their worst spells in the history of IPL  in 2020. As for RCB, they battled their same demons once again and failed to go the distance, despite managing to reach the playoffs.

The possibility of a player auction also means that some players may miss out on making the cut altogether; the likes of Piyush Chawla, Kedhar Jadhav, Dinesh Karthik, among others are the few names that come out on top in this regard.

That said, should the player auction proceed as speculated, fantasy cricket will also take a new turn in the country. Enthusiasts will need to revise their strategies in picking their fantasy team and will need to consider the new changes brought about in the squads.

When Will be a Decision Made?

If we are to go by the reports, then we will see some development on these fronts by mid-December. The BCCI is likely to conduct its Annual General Meeting in early December; following the outcome of that meeting, we will get to know if the league will expand and consequently, whether the player auctions will take place.