The Indian Premier League (IPL) welcomed two teams in their mix for the 2022 edition – Ahmedabad and Lucknow. The inclusion of new teams has prompted a few questions, as well, primarily on how will it impact the format.

This is not the first time the cash-rich league will have 10 teams. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), in a press release, confirmed that the 2022 season will comprise 74 matches. Currently, there are 60 games that are played.

With each team playing seven home and seven away games, it is highly likely that the tournament will go back to the format that was used in 2011.

During that time, the 10 teams were divided into two groups of five each. However, they were ranked on one points table. The last time more than 8 teams played in the IPL was in 2013 when 9 teams played a total of 76 matches.

During that time in their group, each team played the other four in both home and away games (eight matches). They also played four of the teams in the other group once (either home or away). And the remaining team in the other group twice, both home and away.

A random draw decided the group and who played whom across the groups once and twice.

How will it affect player retention?

The lucrative T20 league is yet to divulge details of its retention policy, but it is known that there will be no right-to-match cards. It is reported that a franchise will only be allowed to retain a maximum of four players (local and overseas combined).

Before the auction, the two new teams will get to buy an equal number of players through a draft system. It is the same process that was used in 2016 when Rising Pune Supergiants and Gujarat Lions temporarily replaced Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals.

How the value of the 8 original franchises will be impacted?

Yes, the inclusion of the two high-valued teams will impact the value of the original 8. “The higher the amount the two new entrants bid for their franchises, the higher the amount the original eight will get if they ever decide to sell,” ESPNCricinfo reported.

For example, how Delhi Capitals did in 2018 when Jindal South West (JSW) bought 50% ownership from the GMR Group. At that time, the franchise’s valuation was pegged at about Rs 1100 crore and JSW paid half that amount.

Cricinfo further reported that “if each of the two new franchises had sold for at least Rs 3000 crore, then each of the original 8 would have had a minimum value close to Rs 2500 crore. And the two new franchises have sold for much bigger sums: Rs 7090 crore (Lucknow) and Rs 5625 (Ahmedabad).”

What BCCI president Sourav Ganguly said

“The IPL will now go to two new cities in India viz in Lucknow and Ahmedabad. It is heartening to see the inclusion of two new teams at such a high valuation, and it reiterates the cricketing and financial strength of our cricket ecosystem,” Sourav Ganguly said in a press statement.

“The ITT (Invitation To Tender) process included two interested bidders from outside of India, which strongly emphasises the global appeal of the IPL as a sports property,” he added.

What Sanjiv Goenka said on winning the bid

“Firstly, it feels good to be back in the IPL. But this is just the first step. Now, it’s really for us to build a good team, and try and put up a good performance. So the work really begins now in terms of actually getting the coach, putting together a team.”

Asked if Rs 7000 crore was economically viable, Goenka reasoned: “We do believe that the valuation of this will go up in the future. And from what we invest, to what it could be over a period of 10 years would be a multiple of a few times.”