Former India player Robin Uthappa called for a bold revamp of the Indian Premier League by getting rid of the annual player auctions and having trade windows open throughout the year along with a draft system.
He also wants the IPL to evolve into a "six-month league" with international matches slotted in between.
"They are not taking it beyond the start-up stage. It is baffling. You are the leading cricket league in the world. Mature now. Just get on with it," said Uthappa on his YouTube channel.
"Stop with the auctions and keep the trade window open throughout the year. Have a draft and get rid of the auctions. For crying out loud, get rid of the auctions. I have been saying this even when I was playing," he added.
Uthappa, who won the IPL twice -- Kolkata Knight Riders (2014) and Chennai Super Kings (2021) -- played 205 matches in the T20 league scoring 4952 runs with 27 fifties, including a season high of 660 runs in IPL 2014
He believes that the IPL should be played for a duration of six months.
"They are not going beyond the entertainment mindset, for TV. Even a draft can be great TV. You will get your fans engaging and create fan loyalty. Just get it going. I think it should be like a six-month league. You can have international fixtures in between. It has to evolve," he added.
The IPL 2026 mini auction will be held in Abu Dhabi on December 16.
Ahead of the auction,the league saw one of its biggest trade-off when Rajasthan Royals traded Captain Sanju Samson to Chennai Super Kings in exchange for the dynamic all-rounder duo of Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran ahead of IPL 2026.
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