Mumbai: JetSynthesys has officially announced Season 3 of the Global e-Cricket Premier League (GEPL), billed as the world’s only franchise-based e-cricket league, with registrations opening from May 26.
Aspiring players can register through GEPL Official Registration Portal for the tournament, which will once again be powered by Real Cricket — one of the world’s most downloaded cricket gaming titles with over 400 million lifetime downloads.
The tournament will be broadcast on Star Sports and JioHotstar, while the grand finale is scheduled for August 9 at the Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex in Mahalunge-Balewadi, Pune.
High-Profile Franchise Owners Return
GEPL continues to attract some of India’s most influential entrepreneurs, investors, and public figures as franchise owners. Returning teams for Season 3 include:
- Delhi Sharks, backed by Peyush Bansal
- Bengaluru Badgers, owned by Nikhil Kamath, Ankit Nagori, and Prashanth Prakash
- Chennai Falcons, backed by Gopal Srinivasan, Madhusudanan R, and Arjun Santhanakrishnan
- Mumbai Grizzlies, owned by Sara Tendulkar
- Pune Stallions, backed by Suniel Shetty
- Hyderabad Rhinos, owned by Amit Mehta
Organizers say Season 3 will be larger in scale, featuring stronger brand partnerships, increased competition, and wider audience engagement.
GEPL Aims to Build India’s E-Cricket Ecosystem
Rajan Navani said the league is evolving into a long-term digital sporting institution rather than just another esports tournament.
“Season 3 is the moment we take e-cricket from a passionate community pursuit to a national digital institution,” Navani said, adding that the league reflects the growing ambitions of India’s esports athletes and franchise ecosystem.
Season 2 had already set new benchmarks for e-cricket in India after being broadcast during the IPL season on Star Sports Select and Star Sports 3. According to the organizers, the tournament generated over 174 million impressions and attracted more than 910,000 player registrations — a massive jump from Season 1.
Grassroots Talent Continues to Shine
Last season, Chennai Falcons emerged as champions, while Sukhpreet Singh became one of the breakout stars of the competition. Rising through GEPL’s grassroots ecosystem, he won the Season 2 MVP award, Player of the Series honors, and finished as the tournament’s top wicket-taker.
The Season 2 finale, held at the Koramangala Indoor Stadium, drew strong fan attendance and further highlighted the growing popularity of esports in the country.
Esports Emerging as Career Path
Jogesh Lulla said the league is helping establish esports as a serious career avenue for young Indians.
Citing a YouGov survey commissioned by JetSynthesys, Lulla noted that 81 percent of Indian esports players have considered pursuing esports professionally, while 56 percent expressed interest in careers beyond gaming, including coaching, content creation, and team management.
With a prize pool of ₹3.1 crore, growing franchise investments, and expanding national reach, GEPL Season 3 arrives at a time when competitive digital sports are witnessing unprecedented momentum in India.
