No consensus on next year's IPL auction

MUMBAI: The nine franchises of the Indian Premier League (IPL) do not seem to be in sync over the rules that need to be framed for the auction process ahead of the fifth edition of the league in 2012.

While the franchises unanimously agree that all players from the sacked Kochi Tuskers franchise and those newly inducted should be included in the auction, there is no common consensus on the auction purse, tie-break rules and overall limit of the squad.
In a recently held meeting of all franchise CEOs, the minutes of which are available with TOI, there have been internal disagreements on the kind of money that should be allowed for spending; whether there should be a silent or open or unlimited bidding in case of a tie-break and should the number of foreign players in each team (currently 10 is the upper limit) be increased along with the number of foreign players allowed on field (four is the upper limit currently).

While the overwhelming majority view is that there should be no change, some franchises are open to the idea of including three additional slots for foreign players and an increase in the number of foreign players in the team.

One franchise CEO in particular wrote to the other team officials saying only those issues should be "represented (taken up with) to IPL where there is consensus".

Franchises have varied opinions on the value of the added purse - it ranges from $750,000 to $2m. However, the consensus view of most franchises remains at $1m.

Further, these franchises have absolutely no consensus on what rule should be implemented in case of a tie-break - some have suggested silent bidding, some open bidding and the others lots and unlimited bidding. Therefore, teams have left the entire decision to IPL, requesting only that "the spirit of the salary caps, while deciding upon the tie-breaker method, be kept in mind".

One area where all franchises are in unanimous agreement is the replacement of players. Replacement of player will result in franchise losing the agreed contract value of the new player from the purse.

Now, it is for the BCCI/IPL to reconfirm these provisions and ratify them. A governing council meeting is scheduled this weekend.