IANS

New Delhi, Nov 14: Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan is among the 90 bidders for a franchise from among the teams competing in the $3 million Indian Premier League (IPL) next year, a top Board official said on Tuesday.

Even as some of the top business names have been mentioned among bidders, cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, whose name was also doing the rounds, will not be allowed to bid, as the Board will bar current cricketers from bidding for a franchise.

"Shah Rukh Khan has bid for a franchise," the official said.

According to the official, England-based Lord Swaraj Paul is also in the fray. "There are a lot of prominent businessmen and personalities among the 90 bidders we have received so far," he said.

While the franchisees will also bid for the players, some 'iconic' stars like Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Sourav Ganguly will play only for home teams.

The other prominent bidders are business tycoon Vijay Mallya, Anil Ambani and Hollywood actor Russel Crowe, a cousin of former New Zealand cricket captain Martin Crowe.

The floor price for the bidders has been fixed at $50 million.

Mumbai, the game's hub and home to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) headquarters, and Delhi, where the board was formed in 1928, are amongst the big favourites with bidders.

A final decision on the teams, the league format and other related issues would be taken at an IPL governing council meeting on November 17 in Jaipur.