This will be the first time since 2011 that 10 teams will clash for the most coveted T20 trophy in world cricket.
Two new players named Lucknow Supergiants and Gujarat Titans, the whose combined value is around US$1.7 billion show that the brand IPL is getting bigger.
Took 14 years but the league is now well and truly global.
The owners of the prestigious Manchester Untied also wanted a piece of the IPL pie but lost out to RPSG Group and UK-based CVC Group at the bidding table.
With the COVID situation under control in the country, the board’s top officials can breathe easy and after a gap of two years, this season the IPL will be completely held in India with stadiums allowing at least 25 per cent crowd. scheduled to be held.
The number of games has been increased from 60 to 74 with the addition of new teams, extending the IPL window by over two months.
Although all the teams will play 14-14 matches as before, only time will tell if the lengthy tournament will affect the intensity and quality of cricket.
The board has learned from the harsh lessons of the 2021 edition when the tournament had to be suspended midway due to the raging pandemic and could only be completed in the UAE after four months.
No air travel will be required this season as all league games will be held at four locations in Maharashtra (three in Mumbai and one in Pune).
For the curators, maintaining the veracity of the pitches over two months will be a challenge, but at least half the tournament is bound to be a high-scoring affair.
More bounce can be expected on the red clay pitches of Wankhede, CCI and DY Patil, while the black soil surface in Pune may offer more turn.
With the Supergiants and Titans building their teams from scratch and existing franchises releasing a portion of their players ahead of the mega auction, the 2022 edition could well be the most competitive in the tournament’s history.
The IPL will also decide the fate of some Indian players ahead of the World Cup to be played in Australia later this year.
No domestic benefit for MI?
Rohit Sharma has insisted that there will be no home advantage for Mumbai Indians but he and the likes of Kieron Pollard, Suryakumar Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah and Ishan Kishan certainly won’t mind playing in their backyard.
Leaving the Pandya brothers and Trent Boult, the team doesn’t appear to be in the same formidable outfit, at least on paper.
At Royal Challengers Bangalore, all eyes will be on Virat Kohli as always, however, he has happily given up the captaincy.
With the burden of leading the team off his shoulders, the former India skipper is expected to return to his batting best and play a key role in leading the team to its elusive title.
Longtime CSK batsman Faf du Plessis has been given the captaincy with the hope that he will be able to do what has not been done in RCB before.
The farewell season for Dhoni?
Dhoni left the captaincy of CSK three days before his opening match and did Dhoni’s work. Although his decision did not come as a blow, it fueled speculation whether he would attend all games.
The 40-year-old’s move has also put Ravindra Jadeja in the limelight, who will be captaining a high-profile team for the first time.
Jadeja’s stupendous form in international cricket over the years would certainly have given him the confidence to lead from the front and in times of crisis, Dhoni will be with him anyway.
Time for Iyer, KL and Hardik to enhance their captaincy credentials
After leading Delhi Capitals to their maiden final, Iyer was dropped from captaincy due to a shoulder injury. He decided to go back to the auction and KKR paid a huge amount for his services.
The stylish batsman has shown rich form for India recently and will be hoping to take it to the IPL and propel KKR to their third title.
The progress of his Indian teammate Hardik Pandya will be closely monitored during the IPL. Having lost his place in the Indian team in 2019 due to his inability to bowl regularly following back surgery, Hardik has a point to prove.
It is still unclear whether he will bowl more often in the IPL, making his form with the bat even more important. Either way, he has to come up with something special to revive his career and also ensure that Gujarat puts up a competitive performance for the first time.
Hardik’s close aide KL Rahul will also need to inspire a youth unit. Despite his lack of success as captain at both the India and IPL levels, the opener is eyeing another illustrious season with the bat apart from leading an exciting group of cricketers.