The debate over shifting the Indian Premier League from its traditional April-May window to winter has gained another prominent supporter, with RPG Group Chairman Harsh Goenka backing the proposal put forward by former IPL chairman Lalit Modi and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) co-owner Juhi Chawla.
In a post on X, Goenka said moving the tournament to winter could benefit players, spectators and the overall quality of cricket, arguing that the current summer schedule exposes players and fans to extreme temperatures.
“Juhi Chawla and Lalit Modi are right about moving the IPL to winter,” Goenka wrote.
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He outlined three reasons for supporting the change, beginning with playing conditions. According to Goenka, cricketers are likely to perform better in pleasant weather than in temperatures touching 40 degrees Celsius.
He also pointed to the experience of spectators, saying families would find it easier to attend matches without having to contend with intense summer heat. A winter schedule, he added, could also mean fewer weather-related disruptions, particularly those associated with pre-monsoon conditions.
“Time for a winter IPL!” Goenka said.
Modi welcomed the endorsement, thanking Goenka for supporting the proposal. In a separate post on X, he said franchise owners and major IPL sponsors were beginning to recognise the advantages of a winter tournament.
“Better weather, better cricket, better fan experience and stronger long-term economics,” Modi wrote, adding that the IPL had evolved and its calendar should evolve with it.
The discussion gained momentum after Juhi Chawla publicly backed Modi's proposal to reconsider the tournament's traditional April-May schedule.
Chawla, who co-owns KKR with husband Jay Mehta and actor Shah Rukh Khan, argued that the IPL had grown into a tournament powerful enough to influence the international cricket calendar rather than simply accommodate it.
In her post on X, Chawla questioned why the world's biggest T20 league should continue to be played during what she described as India's harshest summer conditions.
She suggested January as an alternative, citing better weather and improved playing conditions for everyone involved.
Modi, who founded the IPL in 2008, has proposed two possible alternatives: a January start or a more structured October-April competition calendar.
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He has argued that the IPL has become a major force in global cricket and should have greater flexibility in deciding its schedule.
Drawing a comparison with Bollywood, Modi said the film industry had adjusted its release calendar around IPL matches, rather than the tournament seeking space in the entertainment schedule.
The proposal, however, would require careful consideration of international cricket commitments, player availability and the existing global calendar. Any change would also involve decisions by the BCCI and other cricketing stakeholders.
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