The Indian Premier League (IPL) has become one of the biggest sports leagues in 18 years. But its growth raises a question: Should the tournament move away from its traditional April-May window?
Punjab Kings co-owner Ness Wadia wants an earlier start.
Speaking to Cricbuzz about the Hardik Pandya-Arshdeep Singh trade, Wadia was asked about a January start.
“We would love to,” Wadia told Cricbuzz. “I think the first thing we have to do is have more matches (94 games). If that means shifting the window, even better, because, you know, with the weather today, there is rain and then it gets very hot. It would be ideal to have it in January.”
Wadia’s suggestion is not only about escaping the heat. He also sees an earlier start as a way to add matches. However, the BCCI must consider India’s domestic schedule and the international calendar.
The PBKS co-owner believes the April-May window has become harder to manage because of changing weather. Many Indian cities face extreme heat, while rain can disrupt matches towards the tournament’s end.
These conditions affect everyone. Players train in the heat, while fans spend hours in open stadiums. Ground staff, security teams and broadcast crews also work before the first ball.
Even evening matches cannot remove the problem.
Former IPL chairman Lalit Modi raised a similar concern in a recent Cricbuzz interview.
“Sunset is not an air-conditioning switch. Heat and humidity do not disappear when the floodlights come on,” Lalit Modi said.
His message is clear: the BCCI must consider the conditions faced by everyone involved in an IPL match, not just the tournament’s commercial success.
Ness Wadia Wants a Longer IPL Season, But There Is a Scheduling Challenge
Wadia’s support for a January IPL also comes with a bigger idea.
Speaking to Cricbuzz, he explained: “I think we have to look at the domestic calendars of India and other countries, as well as the international calendar, and then assess it from that perspective. But yes, I think conceptually, it’s a good idea.”
He shared a similar view while speaking to PTI.
“It’s a good opportunity as long as the window permits. It does get a bit hot also (March-May). And then rain comes in sometimes. But it all depends on the window. And IPL is the leader. So why not lead into that as long as the window can allow.”
“And maybe that way we can also have an extended season. But there are a lot of other things which have to be looked at. You know, there’s the SMAT (Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy), the Ranji trophy, the other trophies as well, domestic cricket per se. We have to take the international calendar (home season for Australia and South Africa) into account also.”
His comments also highlight the biggest problem with a January IPL. That month is already busy in the cricket world.
Australia’s Big Bash League and South Africa’s SA20 also take place around this period. International cricket continues as well, with countries like Australia and South Africa playing their home matches.
India also has its own domestic cricket commitments. The Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and Ranji Trophy are important parts of the domestic calendar. Moving the IPL could affect these tournaments and make it difficult for domestic players to manage their schedules.
The BCCI must find a way to expand the IPL without creating problems for India’s domestic cricket structure.
Juhi Chawla Backs January IPL Window After Lalit Modi’s Proposal
Wadia is not the only IPL franchise owner who supports a January start. KKR co-owner Juhi Chawla had already backed the idea after former IPL chairman Lalit Modi shared his proposal.
Reacting to Modi’s suggestion on X, Chawla wrote:
“The IPL no longer needs to find its place in the cricket calendar. It has earned the right to influence it. So 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! The IPL has evolved. Perhaps its calendar should too now.”
Back then, the BCCI needed to find the right time for the tournament to become successful. But things have changed over the years. The IPL now has a huge global audience and strong commercial value.
Modi, who first suggested moving the tournament to January, shares a similar view.
In his November 9 social media post, he wrote: “The IPL does not need a window. It creates its own.”
He also shared his proposal to move the tournament away from the difficult April-May weather.
“My proposal is to seriously examine moving the IPL from the increasingly punishing April–May heat, with two alternatives: a January start or a carefully structured October–April competition calendar.”
However, Modi later clarified that he was not asking the BCCI to run the IPL for seven straight months. Speaking to Cricbuzz, he explained:
“I am not asking for seven uninterrupted months of exclusive IPL cricket. We need to sit down with the actual fixtures, venues, travel requirements and player commitments and design the season properly.”
He wants the BCCI to rethink the entire schedule and find a better way to organise the tournament.
Why 94 IPL Matches Could Change Everything
The discussion about a January IPL is also connected to another big proposal: increasing the tournament from 74 to 94 matches.
The expanded format would allow all 10 teams to play against each other twice. Every franchise would host each opponent once and travel to their home ground for another match. The tournament would then have four playoff matches.
This would give every team 18 league matches instead of the current 14.
Modi explained the idea during his Cricbuzz interview:
“The 94-match figure comes from a clear sporting proposition: 10 teams, every opponent at home and away, followed by four playoffs. Each team would have nine home and nine away league fixtures. Supporters would get to see every opponent in their own city.”
This format could make the competition more balanced. Every franchise would get to host all nine opponents. Fans would also get more chances to watch their favourite teams play at home.
There could be a major commercial benefit as well. More matches would give broadcasters more content and create additional opportunities for advertising, sponsorships and ticket sales.
The next IPL media rights cycle will begin in 2028. Therefore, a 94-match format could become an important part of the league’s future business plans.
Wadia has his say
Wadia also believes the IPL still has plenty of room to grow. Speaking to PTI, he said:
“BCCI will unlock the best value for media rights, frankly speaking. They are the experts. As I’ve said before, it’s only 18 years old in terms of age.”
He added:
“So, it’s still in evolution, especially when you compare it to other successful leagues across the world. I know everyone says it’s 18 years, but I think we’ve got a fair bit to go and we’ll grow a lot.”
However, adding more matches does not always mean that a tournament will become better.
Even Modi has raised concerns about viewers losing interest if the IPL becomes too long. During his Cricbuzz interview, he was asked whether more matches could lead to viewer fatigue and affect television ratings.
His response was interesting:
“Fatigue is precisely one of the problems I want us to address. There is a difference between spreading a season sensibly and asking viewers to consume more and more cricket on consecutive days.”
He believes a longer season should give viewers more time between matches. The BCCI should not simply add more games to an already busy schedule.
This is an important point. A 94-match IPL would offer more cricket, but fans may eventually lose interest if they have to watch nearly four hours of cricket every evening for several weeks.
The real challenge is to add more matches without making the tournament feel too long.
January IPL: The Benefits and Problems That Cannot Be Ignored
A January start certainly has some advantages. But moving the IPL away from April-May is not as simple as changing the dates on the calendar.
The BCCI would also have to deal with weather conditions, domestic tournaments, international commitments and the availability of overseas players.
The potential benefits
- Better playing conditions: Moving away from the peak April-May heat could make matches more comfortable for players, fans and ground staff. It could also reduce the physical challenges of playing in extreme temperatures.
- Fewer weather interruptions in some venues: Rain can affect matches during the current IPL window. A carefully planned January schedule could reduce some of these problems, although weather conditions would still vary across India.
- More room for 94 matches: A longer window could help the BCCI spread the additional fixtures across more weeks instead of squeezing them into a shorter period.
- A better viewing experience: Better match timings and more gaps between fixtures could help fans follow the tournament without feeling that there is too much cricket.
- Commercial growth: More matches could create additional opportunities for broadcasters, advertisers, sponsors and franchises.
The potential disadvantages
January also brings weather problems that the BCCI cannot ignore.
According to The National’s November 10 analysis, northern Indian cities can face extreme cold and fog during January and February. This could make home matches difficult for Delhi Capitals, Punjab Kings and Lucknow Super Giants.
Dew is another concern during winter evening games. A wet ball makes it harder for bowlers to grip it. This could give the team batting second an advantage.
Lalit Modi discussed this issue during his Cricbuzz interview. He admitted:
“Dew is a legitimate concern. It should be examined properly.”
However, Modi noted that dew already affects IPL matches. The league introduced a wet-ball replacement rule in 2025 to manage the problem. He wants the BCCI to study each venue instead of assuming every ground faces the same conditions.
The international cricket calendar creates another hurdle. January is busy, with Australia’s Big Bash League and South Africa’s SA20 taking place. Moving the IPL could create clashes over overseas players, especially those with national-team duties or other league commitments.
The change could also affect India’s domestic tournaments. That is why Wadia mentioned the Ranji Trophy and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.
April-May gives the IPL a commercial advantage, as fewer major international matches compete for attention. Modi argued that this was simply the window available when the league began in 2008, not necessarily the best option forever. However, he accepted that international cricket needs protected windows and players need proper rest.
A January shift would require talks with other cricket boards, changes to the Future Tours Programme (FTP), and agreements on overseas player availability.
ALSO READ: Is IPL Captaincy Becoming More Important Than Playing for India?
Is There Any Reason to Be Cautious About the Expansion?
Interestingly, not everyone supporting the proposal wants the IPL to expand in every possible way.
Wadia, despite supporting more matches and a longer season, does not believe the league needs more franchises right now.
Speaking to PTI, he said:
“I think 10 for the moment is good, frankly.”
This is an important difference. Wadia wants the IPL to grow through additional matches, not by adding more teams immediately.
Keeping the current 10-team structure and introducing a complete home-and-away format could help the league expand without increasing the number of franchises.
Meanwhile, Modi’s interview also highlights another important concern. The BCCI cannot assume that more matches will automatically bring more money.
Broadcasters need a good opportunity to earn from the tournament. Player availability, fan interest and the quality of the fixtures will also affect the value of future media rights.
As Modi put it:
“A longer window by itself will not produce a bigger cheque. It must improve what we are offering.”
This may be the biggest question facing the BCCI. Can it offer more cricket without making the tournament too long or creating problems for the rest of the cricket calendar?
Conclusion: Will the IPL Finally Move Away From Its Traditional Window?
For nearly two decades, April-May has been closely linked with the IPL. This window helped the BCCI establish a dedicated period for the tournament and turn it into a global sporting and commercial success.
But the IPL has changed a lot since 2008. It has grown from an eight-team, 59-match competition into a 10-team league with a much bigger audience. Now, the possibility of a 94-match format from the 2028 media rights cycle has added another dimension to the discussion.
Ness Wadia’s comments have given more support to the idea of a longer IPL season and a possible January start. Juhi Chawla’s backing and Lalit Modi’s October-April calendar proposal have also brought the discussion into the spotlight.
However, the BCCI still has a difficult decision to make. Better weather and more matches could benefit the tournament, but a change should not create scheduling problems, weaken domestic cricket or leave players with less time to rest.
The BCCI will eventually have to decide whether April-May still suits the IPL’s future or whether the league needs a completely different calendar.
For now, January remains a proposal, not an officially confirmed change. But with more franchise owners openly discussing the idea, one thing is clear: the debate over the IPL’s traditional window is getting bigger.
What are your thoughts? Let us know in the comments.
Keep following Sportschilly for the latest updates.
