The Indian Premier League has established itself as one of the premier sports leagues globally. Arun Dhumal has stated that once the current Future Tours Programme cycle concludes in 2027, talks will commence regarding the expansion of the IPL schedule. This could potentially involve increasing the total number of matches from 74 to 94. Following the introduction of two additional franchises in 2022 and a congested international calendar, the current format does not allow every team to play each other twice during the league phase. This structure is expected to undergo changes following 2027.

Dhumal observed that the audience interest in various bilateral series is on the wane, which has led many cricketing nations to establish their own domestic T20 competitions.

“If you look at the transition over the last few years, there is definitely less interest in some bilateral games,” Dhumal told The Financial Times. “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.”

Potential Shift

He further explained the potential shift in the global cricket schedule.

“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,” he added.

Dhumal emphasized that the influence of the IPL reaches far beyond India and expressed his belief that the tournament will successfully claim a larger portion of the calendar in the upcoming cycle.

“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 said.