The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is considering an early start to the IPL, aiming for a March 10–May 15 window for future editions beginning next year, in an effort to avoid the intense May heat in most parts of the nation, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia told PTI in an exclusive interview.
He did clarify, though, that the number of matches will stay at 74 and not be raised to 94 owing to international calendar restrictions.
Typically, the IPL begins in the final week of March and ends at the end of May. An early IPL, according to Saikia, would safeguard the interests of both players and the paying public.
“This year, IPL started around the March 29th (28th), and it was over by May 31. Only thing which we are discussing is that during the fag end of the tournament after May 15…there is apprehension of having rainfall or pre-monsoon season starting. On the other hand, there is hot weather which is not very conducive either for the players or for the crowds,” Saikia said in the interaction.
He stated that in order to avoid the rising temperatures in the latter part of May, the BCCI is attempting to move the schedule forward by two weeks.
“So therefore, there is a discussion going on in BCCI as well as in our IPL Governing Council regarding whether we can start the tournament a little bit earlier than the fag end of March,” he said.
“From next year, we will make an effort and I have already instructed our General Manager (Games Development) (former pacer Abbey Kuruvilla) to look for the windows whether we can start it by 10th of March and conclude it by 15th of May. So that there are no adverse weather conditions in the run-up to the playoff and the finals of the IPL 2027 which will be the 20th edition,” Saikia informed.
Saikia claimed that both players and spectators had complained to him about the heat during IPL games in northern and western India.
“I’m hearing a lot of complaints from the fans as well as from the players, because not all players are very well equipped or well acclimatised to play in such hot conditions. So, to provide a pleasant atmosphere for the tournament, we want to close it by 15th of May. That is our first goal now, and that is the prime area of concern for the next year’s 20th edition of IPL, which will be a big event,” he said.
Although there has been some discussion regarding expanding the number of games, Saikia provided a thorough explanation of why it is not feasible to beyond 74 matches.
“…that is not feasible right at this moment because we have to consider many other factors regarding various players coming from various nations. With lot of difficulties we are getting this two months window,” he said.
“It will be very difficult to go beyond two months because other countries also have to pay bilateral matches…So at this moment there is no discussion regarding increasing matches from 74 to 94. Not happening immediately,” he was categorical in his statement.
Saikia, who is also Assam’s Advocate General, did not, however, discount potential in the far future.
“In course of later years, I do not know what will be the position but right at this moment, I don’t see any possibility of increasing it from 74 to 94 because for that it is not only India that is to be considered but also the interest of other cricketing nations of the ICC especially players from Australia, England, New Zealand, South Africa, West Indies. We do not want to upset bilateral matches also and other multi-country tournaments.”
Despite the event taking place in the midst of a crisis in West Asia, Saikia was pleased that the BCCI was able to effectively finish the 19th edition of the IPL this year. Saikia also discussed the significance of making sure that domestic tournaments in India conclude by the first week of March.
“If you look at our domestic cricket, it is a robust system which is in place. We started sometime in the later part of August with Irani Trophy and all the matches, and it goes up to the Ranji Trophy Final, which happens in the month of March.
“Already, we have about 7-8 months long period of domestic cricket. We have to squeeze in some of the matches, so that we finish our domestic cricket by 10th of March, so that we can start it (IPL) immediately,” he said.
