IPL 2024 Auction: Hugh Edmeades not roped in, BCCI to get new auctioneer after five seasons, says report

Hugh Edmeades will not be running the show at the IPL mini-auction on 19 December in Dubai. Mallika Sagar, who is the auctioneer for the Women’s Premier League (WPL), is reportedly being considered for the responsibility.

As per a Sportstar report, Hugh Edmeades has been notified by Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) that his services will not be required for this auction.

Edmeades had been running the IPL auction since 2018. Before him, Richard Madley was responsible for smoothly running operations as cricket franchises spent big money on players.

Edmeades, an independent fine art, classic car and charity auctioneer, had collapsed during the auction in February last year. It became clear later that he had “postural hypotension”. He received immediate medical attention during the mega auction in Bengaluru.

While he received much-needed aid, Charu Sharma stepped in as the stop-gap auctioneer. Edmeades returned to conduct the final phase of the auction and received a standing ovation from the franchises.

He was retained to conduct the mini-auction in Kochi in 2023. But it appears this would be the last IPL auction for him.

Edmeades has held more than 2500 auctions in his 38-year-plus career, the 2018 IPL auction was his first experience with cricket.

Meanwhile, Sagar will be conducting the WPL auction for a second year running. She is not new to sports auctions having been the auctioneer for the Pro Kabaddi League in 2021. At Christie’s, she became their first woman auctioneer of Indian origin in 2001.