Former IPL chairman Lalit Modi has backed Kolkata Knight Riders co-owner Juhi Chawla's suggestion to shift the Indian Premier League (IPL) from its traditional March-May window to the cooler months, proposing either a January start or a carefully structured October-April competition calendar.
The debate over the IPL schedule gained attention after Juhi Chawla expressed concerns about players competing in extreme summer temperatures. Taking to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) on Monday, Chawla suggested that the tournament should consider moving to January to provide better playing conditions.
"Why keep playing the biggest cricket tournament on the planet in the harshest heat? And if the calendar is being reconsidered, why not January instead of April-May? Better conditions. Better cricket. A better experience for everyone overall," she wrote.
She further added that the IPL had evolved into one of the biggest sporting competitions in the world and its schedule should evolve accordingly.
Lalit Modi Supports the Proposal
Lalit Modi, widely credited as the architect of the IPL, strongly supported Chawla's suggestion. He argued that the BCCI, as the owner and organiser of the tournament, has the authority to decide its schedule without needing approval from the International Cricket Council (ICC).
According to Modi, international cricket commitments and player availability would need to be managed, but these factors should not prevent the IPL from choosing a more suitable window.
He also highlighted the league's growing financial and commercial influence, stating that the IPL has become a global sporting powerhouse capable of shaping the wider cricket calendar.
Two Possible Windows Suggested
Modi proposed two alternatives for reconsidering the tournament's schedule:
- January start: Moving the IPL to January to avoid the extreme heat experienced during the traditional April-May period.
- October-April calendar: Introducing a carefully structured competition calendar spread across these months to create better playing conditions and commercial opportunities.
He believes such a move could improve player performance, enhance the experience for spectators and create more valuable broadcasting opportunities.
IPL's Growing Influence on World Cricket
Modi compared the IPL's global position to the English Premier League (EPL), arguing that its financial strength, international appeal and commercial model have made it one of the most influential sporting competitions in the world.
He also pointed out that IPL contracts represent a significant portion of annual cricket earnings for many international players, giving the tournament considerable economic influence.
While the IPL has traditionally been held between March and May, its schedule was altered during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021.
However, there has been no official announcement or formal discussion from the BCCI regarding a permanent change to the tournament's calendar.
For now, shifting the IPL to January or adopting an October-April structure remains a proposal. Nevertheless, the comments from Juhi Chawla and Lalit Modi have reignited the debate over whether the world's richest T20 league should take greater control of the international cricket calendar.
