The IPL 2020 mid-season transfer window will close on Saturday after the end of the double headers and just like IPL 2019, there were no takers for this initiative. Despite having capped players in the side, the ambiguity over the status of injured players and certain restrictions meant that no franchises were interested in this move. Here is an explainer as to why the mid-season transfer initiative fail.
The IPL 2020 mid-season transfer window closes on Saturday after it was opened on Tuesday following the game between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Kolkata Knight Riders in Sharjah. The reason why it was open on Tuesday was that all the team had played seven matches and at the half-way stage, there would be some interesting trade-offs to bolster and surprise some of the squads. The IPL 2020 mid-season transfer window was inspired by football but the dynamics involved were totally different when it came to trading and loaning of the players. This was not the first time that the Indian Premier League had introduced a transfer window mid-season.
In IPL 2019, there was a mid-season transfer but at that time, only uncapped players were put up for sale. However, that did not get many franchises interested. In IPL 2020, the BCCI and the IPL Governing Council expanded the scope and included capped players. The rule was that the capped players should not have played more than two games for their current franchises and should not play during the trading window.
However, just like IPL 2019, the mid-season transfer window in IPL 2020 was also a disaster. There were simply no takers for this initiative. Why did it fail? Here are some of the reasons.
Temporary arrangement, can’t play against traded franchise
One of the major roadblocks was the fact that the traded players could not play against the franchise from which they came from. For example, had Imran Tahir been picked by Kolkata Knight Riders, he could not have played for Kolkata Knight Riders in their return match against Chennai Super Kings. The rules of the mid-season transfer window stated that the player cannot play for his ‘parent’ team. The arrangement was also temporary. The player who was traded for the mid-season in IPL 2020 was part of the franchise for either six games or nine games depending on whether his team reached the final. For IPL 2021, he was back with his parent franchise.
Many franchises were also not open about the idea of a player going to another team in the middle of the season as they were fearful that the plans and strategies of the teams could be utilised by the opponent. The fact that it was a temporary arrangement and the player could not play against his ‘parent’ team put many players and franchises off.
There was also no clarity about the status of injured players. Delhi Capitals had requested some players to come on board the team as injury cover for Ishant Sharma and Amit Mishra. Sunrisers Hyderabad added Jason Holder and Yarra Prithviraj as replacements for Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Mitchell Marsh. Whether the traded players can be used to replace the injured players was never given any clarity by the IPL GC or the BCCI.
This kind of temporary arrangement will find no buyers if IPL plans to do the same in 2021. Either they tweak the rules and ensure that the player goes to the franchise on a permanent basis or they simply cancel this mid-season transfer window initiative.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Imran Tahir CSK")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}