IPL Set for Major Shake-Up? BCCI Eyes New Window

Indian Premier League | The future of the Indian Premier League could witness one of its biggest transformations yet. As the 19th season of the IPL reaches its final stage, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has reportedly started exploring radical changes for upcoming seasons — including shifting the tournament from its traditional March-May slot to September-October and even organizing IPL twice in a single year.

IPL 2026 began on March 28 and will conclude with the final on May 31. However, the tournament this season was heavily impacted by extreme heat conditions across several parts of North and Western India. The soaring temperatures not only raised serious concerns over player fitness and match conditions but also affected crowd turnout in stadiums.

The rising summer heat has now become a major challenge for the league. Concerns over declining spectator attendance, difficult playing conditions, and weather-related interruptions during afternoon and evening matches have reportedly forced the BCCI to seriously reconsider the tournament calendar.

Speaking in an interview, IPL Chairman Arun Dhumal confirmed that discussions are underway with broadcasters regarding the possibility of shifting IPL to another time window. According to him, the September-October period could emerge as the “best possible window” for the tournament, especially because it aligns with the festive season around Diwali — a period considered highly valuable for advertisers and broadcasters.

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The BCCI is also evaluating an even more ambitious plan — conducting IPL in two separate phases during the year. Under the proposed structure:

First phase: February to April

Second phase: September to October

This proposal, however, comes with significant challenges. The availability of international players remains the biggest hurdle, and any such move would require detailed discussions with multiple global cricket boards.

Since its launch in 2008, the IPL has traditionally been held between March and May, except during the COVID-19 pandemic. Changing the tournament window would involve balancing broadcasting agreements, international cricket schedules, franchise logistics, and player workload management.

Still, with climate conditions becoming increasingly unpredictable and fan experience turning into a priority concern, the possibility of a historic IPL schedule overhaul can no longer be ruled out.

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