BCCI secretary hints at early start to IPL 2027

BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia has hinted at the possibility of an early start to the IPL from next season onwards. Saikia stated that the BCCI and the IPL Governing Council are in discussions about starting the tournament sooner due to the extreme heat that the players and fans encounter as well as pre-monsoon showers that could disrupt games in the second half of May.

"This year, IPL started around March 29 [28], and it was over by May 31. 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 pre-monsoon season starting," Saikia told PTI.

"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.

"From next year, we will make an effort and I have already instructed our general manager (games development) [former India fast bowler Abey Kuruvilla] to look for the windows, whether we can start it by 10th of March and conclude it by 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," he said.

"I'm hearing a lot of complaints from the fans as well as from the players, because not all players are very well-equipped or well-acclimatised to play in such hot conditions," he said. "So, to provide a pleasant atmosphere for the tournament, we want to close it by 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."

Interestingly, the Border-Gavaskar series at home, comprising five Test matches, is scheduled to go on till March 3 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 Lord's in London from March 11 to 15.

Saikia also confirmed that expanding the league stage of the tournament cannot be done at the moment. Since 2022, when the IPL became a 10-team event, there have been 74 games in all - 70 league stage fixtures where teams play twice against a few teams and once against a few others, and four playoffs matches. There were expectations of the tournament expanding to 94 matches where every team plays twice against the other nine in the league, but that idea has been parked for now. IPL chairman Arun Dhumal had previously stated that discussions for such a possibility will be had after the 2027 season.

"That is not feasible right at this moment because we have to consider many other factors regarding various players coming from various nations," Saikia said. "With lot of difficulties we are getting this two months window. It will be very difficult to go beyond two months because other countries also have to play bilateral matches... So at this moment there is no discussion regarding increasing matches from 74 to 94. Not happening immediately."

"In course of later years, I do not know what will be the position but right at this moment, I don't see any possibility of increasing it from 74 to 94 [matches] because for that it is not only India that is to be considered but also the interest of other cricketing nations of the ICC especially players from Australia, England, New Zealand, South Africa, West Indies. We do not want to upset bilateral matches also and other multi-country tournaments," Saikia opined.

"If you look at our domestic cricket, it is a robust system which is in place. We started sometime in the later part of August with Irani Trophy and all the matches, and it goes up to the Ranji Trophy final, which happens in the month of March. Already, we have about 7-8 months long period of domestic cricket. We have to squeeze in some of the matches, so that we finish our domestic cricket by 10th of March, so that we can start it [the IPL] immediately," he added.

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