IPL 2026 in October: Indian Premier League chairman Arun Dhumal has said that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) might have to consider changing the Indian Premier League season from March-May to September-October, considering the hot summers and the resulting tiredness of players. The event has been held during the same two-month window since its inception. With the IPL Governing Council planning to increase the number of games from 2028, the BCCI has been grilled over whether the league would get more benefits by shifting to a different timing.
Arun Dhumal clarifies possibility of IPL date change
Arun Dhumal in an interview with Sportstar, clarified that there is no absolute need to change the IPL dates anytime in the near future. However, with the IPL looking to possibly increase the number of matches in the season, there is a case to be made to look at a different window for conducting the IPL. Apart from the possible increase in the number of matches, the excessive heat during the current window is another reason for the IPL committee to consider shifting the matches to a later window in the calendar year.
However, interestingly, Dhumal hinted at how the decision to move IPL to any window would not ultimately lie with the BCCI or the IPL committee members. Arun talked about how a discussion with the broadcasters would have to take place before any decision is made. He said, “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. 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.”
Will IPL increase the number of games?
The Indian Premier League (IPL) will reportedly have an increase in its number of games in the coming years. Currently, in IPL, there are 74 games. Each team plays 14 games in the league phase, so not all teams play each other twice. However, this format is set to change with reports emerging that the number of matches could be increased to 94. The league phase will feature 90 games with each team playing every team twice in a traditional home-and-away format. While the rest of the four games will be played in the IPL playoffs.
Pragun is a passionate cricket follower and writer who deeply loves the game. Having completed his education with a degree in Journalism and Mass Communication, he has an experience of almost two years in diverse fields. He is known for his statistical and analytical articles. Pragun tries to bring life to his articles by adding a layer of enthusiasm from the perspective of a hardcore fan. Apart from writing cricket articles, he sometimes appears on YouTube videos on a friend’s podcast.
