The intense heat and humidity in May make conducting matches increasingly difficult.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is actively reviewing major scheduling changes for the Indian Premier League (IPL) to combat extreme heat and late-season rain.
Brutal heat waves and high humidity during the peak summer month of May have resulted in severe player fatigue, dehydration, and muscle cramps. Pushing the tournament earlier reduces exposure to these extreme conditions.
Speaking to Sportsar, IPL chairman Arun Dhumal recently acknowledged that weather has become one of the major concerns around the tournament’s scheduling.
“Weather is another challenge that we are facing now, with May getting very hot. We are also looking if we can find a window from February to April and then later in the year,” Dhumal said.
According to a report published in Hindustan Times, the BCCI is exploring a mid-March start for future IPL seasons to shield the tournament from peak Indian summer heat and rain.
The IPL is projected to expand its current 74-match format to a 94-match season starting from 2028, right after the completion of the ongoing media rights cycle. A larger tournament inevitably requires finding a significantly wider calendar slot.
Dhumal had revealed one key proposal being discussed with broadcasters is holding a portion of the tournament in a September-October window.
“I do not think so. 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 point of view because it is just before Diwali,” he stated.
This restructure could help facilitate the league's expansion, though it requires negotiation with other boards.
“We have to do what is best for the game because IPL does not impact only the BCCI, it impacts all other cricket boards and players who play across the globe. We will sit across with all our friends from other countries and find what works best for this tournament and cricket globally,” the IPL chairman remarked.