Robin Uthappa has proposed a significant shift in the Indian Premier League (IPL) format while slamming the auctions and instead recommended year-round trade windows and a draft system. He has also advocated for extending the league’s duration from its current two-and-a-half months to six months.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Uthappa, a two-time IPL champion with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK), shared his insights. With a career tally of 4,952 IPL runs in 205 matches, including a standout season with KKR where he scored 660 runs to clinch the Orange Cap and the trophy, Uthappa urged for changes to keep up with the evolving times.
“They are not taking it beyond the start-up stage. It is baffling. You are the leading
cricket league in the world. Mature now. Just get on with it. Stop with the auctions and keep the trade window open throughout the year. Have a draft and get rid of the auctions. For crying out loud, get rid of the auctions. I have been saying this even when I was playing,” he said.
“They are not going beyond the entertainment mindset, for TV. Even a draft can be great TV. You will get your fans engaging and create fan loyalty. Just get it going. I think it should be like a six-month league. You can have international fixtures in between. It has to evolve,” he added.
The next IPL auction is set for December 16 in Abu Dhabi.
Ahead of the auction, a significant trade occurred during the trade window. Indian wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson, a key player for Rajasthan Royals (RR), was traded to the five-time champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK). In return, the inaugural champions acquired CSK legends Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran. Samson will join CSK for his existing price of Rs 18 crores, while Jadeja’s fee has been adjusted from Rs 18 crores to Rs 14 crores. Curran moves to RR at his existing price of Rs 2.4 crores.
