Arun Singh Dhumal, the chairperson of the Indian Premier League, has acknowledged that discussions could take place after 2027 regarding the possibility of extending the tournament window. He suggested that the bilateral cricket calendar may be revisited to explore whether more time can be allocated to the IPL in the future.
Currently, the IPL features a 74-match format. However, with the addition of franchises like Lucknow Super Giants and Gujarat Titans, not all teams are able to face each other twice during the league stage. Expanding the tournament to a full double round-robin format would require 94 matches, but Dhumal admitted that fitting such an increase into the existing international schedule is not feasible at present.
He also ruled out the option of increasing the number of double-headers as a solution, indicating that it may not be practical for players or broadcasters. However, Dhumal pointed out that declining interest in certain bilateral series could open up opportunities in the future. While no immediate changes are expected, his remarks indicate that a longer IPL window remains a possibility, depending on how the global cricket calendar evolves in the coming years.
“If you look at the transition over the last few years, there is definitely less interest in some bilateral games. That is why countries are coming up with their own leagues: the England and Wales Cricket Board’s The Hundred, Australia’s Big Bash League, the UAE’s International League T20, South Africa’s SA20 and the Caribbean Premier League. If this is the trend, then every country will want fewer bilaterals, or bilaterals that make more financial sense for them, and then there is scope to enlarge the IPL window. We are hoping for more discussions with all the countries and colleagues. If that works out, it should work out for everyone,” said Dhumal in an interview with The Financial Times.
“It [the bilateral calendar] makes sense, and it is already locked until 2027. But when they plan post-2027, we will have discussions. The IPL is not only adding value to India and Indian players; it is adding value to world cricket at large. So all these players would want more. Hopefully, when we decide on the next cycle, we will be able to carve out a bigger window so we can extend it beyond 74,” he added.
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Dhumal further spoke about the possibility of expanding the IPL, suggesting that reducing bilateral commitments could help carve out an additional window between September and October. However, he emphasised that any such decision would require careful consideration and consensus among stakeholders.
“There are different possibilities. One is reducing some bilaterals. Another is carving out a window elsewhere. In case we get some windows during September or October, when you have the end of the English season and before the start of the Australian season, then if we have a few days available there, we can extend that time. So all those possibilities can be worked out and whatever works best, we will do,” said Dhumal.
