The BCCI is considering advancing the Indian Premier League (IPL) calendar by nearly three weeks, with plans to stage future editions from March 10 to May 15 in a bid to avoid extreme heat and pre-monsoon disruptions during the latter stages of the tournament.
In an exclusive interaction with PTI, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia revealed that discussions are underway within the board and the IPL Governing Council to explore an earlier window beginning with the 2027 season, which will mark the league's 20th edition.
The IPL traditionally starts in the final week of March and concludes at the end of May. However, Saikia said growing concerns over soaring temperatures and weather-related challenges have prompted the board to rethink the schedule.
"This year, the IPL started around March 28 and ended on May 31. There are concerns about rainfall and the onset of the pre-monsoon season after May 15. At the same time, the heat during that period is not ideal for players or spectators," Saikia said.
The BCCI chief added that he has already instructed General Manager (Game Development) Abbey Kuruvilla to identify scheduling possibilities that would allow the tournament to begin on March 10 and finish by May 15.
"We want to create a more pleasant environment for both players and fans. Many players, especially overseas cricketers, are not fully acclimatised to such extreme conditions. We have also received complaints from spectators regarding the heat in several parts of the country," Saikia said.
Despite periodic discussions about expanding the tournament, Saikia ruled out any immediate increase in the number of matches from the current 74 to the proposed 94.
"That is not feasible at this moment. Securing a two-month window itself is challenging because we have to accommodate international commitments and bilateral cricket involving several nations," he explained.
Saikia stressed that the interests of other cricket boards and their domestic schedules must also be taken into account.
"It is not only India that needs to be considered. We have to respect the interests of other ICC member nations, especially those whose players participate in the IPL, such as Australia, England, New Zealand, South Africa and the West Indies. We do not want to disrupt bilateral cricket or other international tournaments," he said.
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While dismissing the possibility of an immediate expansion, Saikia did not entirely rule out the idea in the longer term.
Looking ahead, he also underlined the importance of restructuring India's domestic calendar to accommodate an earlier IPL start. According to Saikia, the domestic season currently runs for seven to eight months, beginning with the Irani Cup and ending with the Ranji Trophy final in March.
"We may need to compress parts of the domestic schedule so that all competitions conclude by March 10, allowing the IPL to begin immediately thereafter," he said.
Saikia expressed satisfaction with the successful completion of IPL 2026, noting that the tournament was conducted smoothly despite geopolitical tensions in West Asia during the season.
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