Indian Premier League chairman Arun Dhumal has said that the heat of peak Indian summers and the resulting fatigue may force BCCI to consider moving the Indian Premier League to a September-October window from the current March-May season.
The tournament has been held during the same two-month window since its inception. But with the IPL Governing Council planning to expand the number of matches from 2028 onwards, questions have now been raised before BCCI over whether the league would be better served by shifting to a different window in the calendar.
In an interview with Sportstar, Dhumal said that there was no pressing need to shift the tournament window, though any decision on moving it would have to be made in consultation with the broadcaster.
Dhumal added that one of the strongest suggestions had been to stage the tournament during September-October, considering it would coincide with a favourable advertising period in the lead-up to Diwali.
“We need to sit across and speak to the broadcaster for their opinion on whether the tournament can be moved to another window. One suggestion was a window in September-October,” Dhumal said.
“That is the best time from an advertiser’s point of view because it’s just before Diwali. We will look at that when the next bilateral tender comes into play, in case we can find a window there,” Dhumal added.
At present, the IPL features 74 games involving 10 teams over two months. The cash-rich league attracts players from most major cricket boards around the world, barring a few cricketers associated with the overlapping Pakistan Super League. But staging the tournament in India during May brings its own set of challenges, due to the weather.
Most IPL venues experience intense heat during the month, making conditions demanding for cricketers.
