Ever since the IPL auctions have been created and implemented, Madley has been there from the beginning.
The player’s auction for the IPL is a go on December 19 in Kolkata despite protests over the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). With reports of violence from happening in West Bengal, Kolkata, in general, has been safe. Hence, the auction will continue as planned. An official from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said that ‘IPL auctions are on and the franchises will start reaching the destination on time’.
As many as 332 cricketers are going to be available for auction. Of those, 186 are Indian, 143 are overseas players, and 3 players are from Associate Nations. They will all be looking for a team to play for in the upcoming IPL season. The teams will also be looking for capable players that can add depth to their roster or fill in the ‘missing link’.
Those who know the IPL well also know that Richard Madley has been a key part of the event ever since its inception. However, he will not be around to foresee the event this year. It should be noted that since 2018, he has been relieved from his post. Even though he isn’t a staple in the auction anymore, fans still remember his voice, and the way he announced the players and the bids for 11 seasons of the IPL.
In an interview, Madley spoke about the most controversial and conflicted moments from the IPL auction. He then recalled when two teams engaged in a ‘bidding war’ over one player. Being the overseer of the event, he was able to resolve the dispute in a calm manner.
‘There were two disputed bids with both involving Royal Challengers Bangalore. One was a bidding dispute with Priety Zinta of Kings XI Punjab. The other one with Kolkata Knight Riders… I settled it those the way I thought was correct and proper. It attracted a bit of controversy back then. When everyone is bidding quickly with laughs and cheers – those are the easy bids. But it is during the controversial bids when an auctioneer earns his keep. I would still stand with the way those two bids were handled. It is a lonely place for an auctioneer up there, you don’t have a second or third umpire, I can’t go upstairs!’.
The Indian Premier League (IPL) is a professional Twenty20 cricket league in India contested during March or April and May of every year by eight teams representing eight different cities. To find out more about the IPL, visit Betwala’s page.
READ MORE: What is the Indian Premier League?
