IPL 2022: The Latest updates

It does not seem that long ago that the 2021 Indian Premier League finished, and now we are already hearing some exciting news about the 2022 IPL season. In this news round-up we will fill you in on all the latest news on everything that is known so far about IPL-15. It is never to early to start researching and weighing the odds for accurate IPL predictions!

When Will the 2022 Indian Premier League Start?

The main thing that anyone interested in IPL betting needs to know is when the 2022 IPL is going to start.

Well, on the 22nd of January 20222, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BBCI) had a meeting with the franchises and informed the owners that the most likely starting date for the 2022 IPL with be the 27th of March 2022 and that it will go on until the end of May. This time frame is not yet set in stone though, so there is a chance that it will change slightly.

Where Will IPL 2022 be Held?

Due to the pandemic, the 2020 IPL was held in the United Arab Emirates, while the second half of the 2021 edition also took place in the UAE (with the first half starting in Chennai before the situation got worse). Obviously, the franchises would prefer it if the 2022 edition could be held completely in India, but they understand that this all depends on the virus situation at the time.

As it stands, the franchises were told in the aforementioned meeting that the tournament would take place in India, and that Mumbai would be used as the main venue. If the virus numbers are at an acceptable level, then Ahmedabad might be used as the venue to host the Play-Offs.

If it is not safe to hold the competition in India, then other feasible alternatives South Africa, the UAE or Sri Lanka. The franchises were told that a final decision would be made by the 20th of February.

Why Was Mumbai Chosen as the Main Location to Host the IPL?

The reason that Mumbai was selected as the main location to host the 2022 IPL is the fact that it is home to a number of grounds that are suitable to host IPL matches. By having the whole tournament in one place, it means that teams will not have to travel around the country, which is what caused a spike in cases during the 2021 edition and caused it to be called off with just half the games played.

There are three stadiums that have hosted international games in Mumbai - Wankhede Stadium, DY Patil Stadium, and Brabourne Stadium. Then, there is the Mumbai Cricket Association grounds located in the Bandra-Kurla Complex that different teams have used to train in during past editions of the IPL.

Teams Undecided Over South Africa or UAE

It is understood that not all of the teams are in agreement as to whether it should be the UAE or South Africa if the tournament cannot be held in India. Some of the teams highlighted the fact that the UAE was becoming quite predictable in its results as was seen in the second half of the 2021 IPL - the teams that batted first ended up having a huge advantage and usually went on to win. Other franchises backed using the UAE again because there is no need for internal travel, which will decrease the risk of contracting the virus. South Africa has one advantage, and this is that there are multiple venues, but some franchises countered this by saying that traveling is fraught with risk as was highlighted during the first part of the 2021 IPL.

When Will the IPL 2022 Auction Take Place?

All IPL fans want to know when the yearly auction will take place as this is where all of the franchises splash the cash to buy the services of the players that they think will help them go on to lift the title. The BCCI announced that the auction for the 2022 IPL will take place on the 12th and 13th of February in Bengaluru.

The rules state that teams are only allowed to retain four players ahead of this mega auction, meaning that other franchises will have the chance to bid for those players who used to always be retained by one team. In other words, there will be plenty of world class players up for grabs this time around, so get ready for some epic bidding wars.

Additionally, the salary purse has increased by five crores for each team, so we think it is safe to say that we can expect some record-breaking prices at this auction. Chris Morris was bought for 16.25 crores last season, making him the most expensive player in IPL history. However, this time around, do not be surprised if a number of players are bought for more than 20 crore. The likes of David Warner, Mitchell Marsh, Pat Cummins, Quinton de Kock, and Trent Boult could all go for huge money.

There Will be Two New Teams

This tournament usually sees eight teams battle it out for the trophy, but this time, for just the second time ever, there will be 10 franchises. One of these teams is called the Lucknow Super Giants, which is a name that was chosen by their fans after they put a poll on social media to allow them to vote. On the 21st of January, the Lucknow franchise, which is owned by RPSG signed India's KL Rahul for 17 crore, Australia's Marcus Stoinis for 9.2 crore, and uncapped Ravi Bishnoi for 4 crore.

The other new team that will be taking part in the 2022 IPL is Ahmedabad, but they are yet to give their franchise a name. They are owned by CVC and recently Vikram Solanki, who is their Director of Cricket, announced that they had required the services of Afghanistan's Rashid Khan for 15 crore, India's Hardik Pandya for 15 crore, and India's Shubman Gill for 7 crore.

The fact that there are ten teams competing at this year's IPL is great for us cricket fans as it means that there are even more matches for us to watch and place bets on! In 2021 there was a total of 60 matches. This year, the IPL with two new teams will consist of 74 matches! And we will not miss a single one!