BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia has hinted at the possibility of an early start to the IPL from next season onwards. Devajit Saikia stated that the BCCI and the IPL Governing Council are discussing moving the tournament up due to extreme heat that players and fans face, as well as pre-monsoon showers that could disrupt games in the second half of May.
Devajit Saikia on the possibility of starting IPL 2027 early
Speaking to PTI, “This year, IPL started around March 29 (28), and it was over by May 31. The 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 the pre-monsoon season starting.”Â
Saikia further added, “On the other hand, there is hot weather, which is not very conducive either for the players or for the crowds. 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.”Â
Devajit Saikia zones in on the possible window BCCI is looking at
Devajit Saikia went on to say that he’s looking at a window of March 10 to May 15 for the tournament. He said, “From next year, we will make an effort, and I have already instructed our general manager of games development, former India fast bowler Abey Kuruvilla, to look for the windows, whether we can start it by the 10th of March and conclude it by the 15th of May. So that there are no adverse weather conditions in the run-up to the playoffs and the finals of IPL 2027, which will be the 20th edition.”Â
He further added, “I’m hearing a lot of complaints from the fans as well as from the players, because not all players are 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 on the 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.”Â
Concerns for IPL 2027
For the record, the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series at home, comprising five Test matches, is scheduled to go on till March 3rd if the fifth and final Test goes on for all five days. Also, England and Australia players will be occupied with the 150th Anniversary Test match, set to be played at MCG from March 11 to 15. While the move to possibly start the IPL is a well-thought-out move, it will be easier said than done. Many series will be on at that time.
Not only the series like the Border-Gavaskar Trophy or the 150th Test match between Australia and England, but there are also other bilateral series taking place in March that could affect the availability of players. So, this early start to the league is part of discussions, but whether it will be finalised remains to be seen, as a lot of other areas and logistical areas must be worked upon. Even for India, it is demanding. Playing a high-octane 5-Test series and then getting maybe a week’s rest before IPL is just not fair to them either.
The players are human beings, not machines. So, some middle ground will have to be reached, and yes, we can start the IPL earlier than the 28th this year. But to think of starting on the 10th is a tad bit early in our view. We can start on 15th-16th March and conclude it by May 20th. That can work well. But these are issues, BCCI will take care of as they have time to discuss all these. Let’s see how things unfold from here.
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