The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has the biggest tournament of the year coming up in the Indian Premier League (IPL) but the rise in COVID-19 cases, especially with the Omicron variant, across the nation, may throw a wrench in their plans.

According to media reports, the Indian cricket board will be contacting all 10 franchises in order to hold a meeting and discussing an alternative plan of carrying out the tournament in case the pandemic once again gets out of hand.

The BCCI to hold a meeting next month with IPL franchises owners to discuss the alternate plans for IPL 2022. Orginal plan is to schedule the IPL in India on home and away basis. (Reported by Cricbuzz).

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) December 23, 2021

The 2020 season of the IPL took place in the United Arab Emirates from start to finish and it was the second half of the 2021 season that had to be moved to the Middle East due to the breach in the bio-bubble in India in the first half.

However, ahead of the 2022 season, there are no plans of taking the league matches away from Indian soil, even if the number of pandemic cases rise.

So what would BCCI’s ‘Plan B’ For IPL 2022 Look Like?

According to multiple IPL franchise officials, chances are that if the Omicron variant all over the country rise at a rampant pace, the entire IPL might take place in just Mumbai and Pune or in the Gujarat cities of Ahmedabad, Rajkot and Baroda.

An awesome pic of the giant Motera stadium taken by our very own @ashuToast from inside the Motera #INDvENG pic.twitter.com/o9QbNLdFAV

— North Stand Gang - Wankhede (@NorthStandGang) March 6, 2021

But while IPL 2022 is scheduled to take place from April 2, 2022, there is yet another massive event that the BCCI will be conducting on the 7th and 8th of February - the IPL 2022 Mega Auction. With the introduction of two new franchises and almost 90% of the league players available for the auction pool, the face and culture of multiple franchises may take a huge overhaul.

While some of the more successful teams such as Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians would look to maintain their dominance, franchises such as Royal Challengers Bangalore and Punjab Kings, who haven’t won a single title so far, would wish to add power players to their rosters with the hopes to taking a renewed shot at the IPL trophy.

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According to a BCCI official, the Mega Auction is likely to take place in Bengaluru over a two-day period and that the preparations are already underway.  

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