GUWAHATI: A day ahead of the auction for the inaugural edition of the Assam Premier League (APL), Taranga Gogoi, President of the Assam Cricket Association (ACA), said the event would be a key moment for players who will be part of the auction process.
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On Sunday, eight franchises will gather at the 91 Yards Club, ACA Stadium, Guwahati, to build their squads for the inaugural season of the APL, bidding for 275 cricketers from different parts of the state.
Leading the marquee pool is a list of 20 players, each of whom has represented Assam in BCCI domestic tournaments.
The marquee players include Denish Das, Sibsankar Roy, Sumit Kashyap, Swarupam Purkayastha and Jitumoni Kalita among the batting and all-round options, while Mrinmoy Dutta, Muktar Hussain, Avinav Choudhary, Rahul Singh, Sadak Hussain and Bhargab Pratim Lakhar lead the bowling group.
Saahil Jain, Pradyun Saikia and Saurav Mousum Dihingia add depth to the batting pool, while Abdul Ajij Kuraishi, Akash Sengupta and Ayushman Malakar strengthen the all-round options. Sumit Ghadigaonkar, Rohit Sen and Ruhinandan Pegu are the wicketkeeping choices.
The marquee names are expected to attract strong bidding on auction day.
Taranga Gogoi, President of the ACA, said, “For a young player from Dhubri or Dibrugarh or Jorhat, hearing your name called at an auction table is a moment you carry for life, and on Sunday that moment arrives for cricketers from every district of Assam.”
“The eight franchises have done their homework, the marquee names will set the tone, and I expect spirited bidding right through the day. But beyond the numbers, this auction is the foundation of everything we want the APL to be — a league where performance in Assam is seen, valued and rewarded,” Taranga Gogoi added.
Performances in the APL will be considered during the identification and selection process for players ahead of the upcoming BCCI domestic season. For cricketers across the state, Sunday's auction will mark the first step towards that stage.
The inaugural edition of the league will feature eight franchises representing different regions of the state: Jorhat Stallions, Tezpur Titans, Dibrugarh Warriors, Barak Legends, Nagaon Rangers, Barpeta Braves, Guwahati Royals and Charaideo Sunrisers.
Inspired by the Indian Premier League (IPL) format, the tournament is scheduled to be held from August 1 to August 23 at the Barsapara Stadium in Guwahati.
The league will be broadcast on Star Sports and streamed on JioHotstar.
During the official launch of the league, BCCI Secretary Devajit Lon Saikia said the success of the APL would not be measured by revenue or commercial returns, but by the number of young cricketers it inspires and the sustainable careers it creates.
“We have very clearly told you that this is not a commercial venture. You cannot expect returns on your investment in the way IPL franchise owners do. This is not a platform for commercial activities. It has essentially been conceived to promote the game,” Saikia told the owners of the eight APL franchises.