The IPL 2024 is a few months away but we can already hear the <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/sport/cricket/2023/05/30/ipl-2003-team-of-the-year-dhoni-joins-gill-and-kohli-in-best-xi/" target="_blank">T20 behemoth </a>approaching. The IPL player auction is as boisterous and attention-grabbing as the main event, bringing with it the possibility of altering player’s career forever with one strike from the auctioneer’s gavel. For the first time, the <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/sport/ipl/2023/01/18/ipl-2023-top-salaries/" target="_blank">IPL auction </a>takes place outside India – at the magnificent Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai on Tuesday, December 19. It is a mini-auction, where only a handful of slots in each franchise are up for grabs. However, these mini-auctions tend to throw up incredible results as franchises have decent-sized purses to spend on a handful of names. This year, a total of 333 players will go under the hammer for 77 slots across 10 teams. Teams have an auction purse raging from $1.5 million to $4.6m. But that is not the only big news coming out of IPL. Before the auction, all-rounder Hardik Pandya left Gujarat Titans in a bombshell move and returned to Mumbai Indians as captain, taking over from the well-established Rohit Sharma, who led the franchise to five titles. The trade sent shockwaves across the league as it was done in a clandestine manner, with many associated with the league taken aback by the turn of events. Speculation has since grown about a proven performer like Sharma moving out of the Mumbai team and setting up base in another franchise. The IPL trading window closed on December 12 – one week before the player auction – and will reopen a day after the auction i.e. Wednesday, December 20. Players can then be traded up until February 2024 – one month before the start of the season. So, players can still switch teams before the next edition in March-May. Well, yes and no. Technically, the Indian captain can ask to be traded from Wednesday onwards. However, he apparently is tied to Mumbai Indians on a three-year contract and is likely to remain in blue at least until 2025. But, given the way Pandya was acquired from Gujarat – Mumbai paying the Titans an undisclosed fee, which is now being seen as the first big case of transfer fee in IPL – anything seems possible, especially if franchises have deep enough pockets and a determination to make it happen. Delhi Capitals were reportedly interested in acquiring the services of Rohit, given that Rishabh Pant is still some way away from regaining full fitness following a serious car accident. However, Mumbai apparently refused the trade. Delhi have a seasoned management in Ricky Ponting and Sourav Ganguly, so there is great pedigree in the capital city to be a part of. Chennai Super Kings could be another lucrative option, given that their stalwart MS Dhoni has a serious knee problem and is <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/sport/cricket/2023/05/30/will-ipl-and-chennai-super-kings-be-the-same-without-ms-dhoni/" target="_blank">unlikely to remain a player </a>for much longer. Being part of a iconic team like Chennai, who are known to put their star players on a pedestal, will be quite tempting.