Reports: Ahmedabad, Lucknow frontrunners for new IPL teams

Ahmedabad and Lucknow are clear frontrunners for two news teams in the 2022 Indian Premier League, sources close to the bidding process have revealed. The IPL bidding is set to take place in Dubai on Monday, October 25 as of now and a number of business giants from around the world are said to have thrown their hats in the ring.

Adani Group, a renowned Indian MNC, has been reported to be bidding for the team from Ahmedabad. The two highest bidders will go own the two new franchises in the cash-rich and prestigious tournament. The upcoming edition of the IPL will be a 10-team affair.

BCCI extended deadline for IPL bidders to October 20

As per reports, the Board of Control for Cricket in India is expecting around INR 7000 to 10,000 crores from the bidders. The report also said that the BCCI set the base price of the new teams at INR 2000 crores.

The Indian board also allowed companies with annual turnover of INR 3000 crores to bid for the new teams. The world’s richest cricket board had also extended the deadline for the bidders to Wednesday, October 20.

“Pursuant to requests from various interested parties, BCCI has now decided to further extend the date for purchasing the ITT document till October 20, 2021,” a BCCI release was quoted as saying, NDTV reported.

The parties, who are set to bid for the two new teams are Torrent Pharma, Aurobindo Pharma, Sanjeev Kumar – RPSG, Kotak Group, CVC Partners, Hindustan Times Media, Glazer Family – Manchester United Owners, Broadcast & Sport Consulting Agencies ITW, Group M, Naveen Jindal – Jindal Power & Steel, Adani Group, Ronnie Screwvala and Singapore Based PE Firm.

Previously, the BCCI shortlisted six cities, namely Dharamshala, Guwahati, Ranchi, Lucknow, Ahmedabad and Cuttack for the two new franchises in IPL 2022.

Back in 2010, the BCCI introduced Kochi Tuskers Kerala and Pune Warriors India as a part of the IPL’s expansion process. However, the two teams were suspended due to certain reasons.

Mumbai Indians remain the most successful team in the IPL, having won the championship as many as five times. MS Dhoni’s Chennai Super Kings are second with four titles.