The forthcoming edition of Indian Premier League (IPL) could start early to provide the Indian pacers enough rest before the ICC World Cup 2019.

As per a report in ESPNcricinfo, IPL 2019 is likely to start on March 23rd after a request was made by skipper Virat Kohli and coach Ravi Shastri to give the Indian pacers adequate rest before the World Cup in a meeting with Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators (COA) last month.

Kohli and Shastri had suggested that leading fast bowlers like Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and others in the fray for next year’s World Cup should not be part of the cash-rich league. India’s Test vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane and limited-overs vice-captain Rohit Sharma were also present in the meeting along with the chairman of selectors MSK Prasad.

Report also claims that IPL management’s chief operating officer Hemang Amin has clarified such a request needs to get the approval of all the eight IPL franchises and this is something that may have forced BCCI’s hand for starting the IPL early.

It has been a busy schedule for India and will continue to be so till the World Cup, slated to take place in England from May 30 to July 14. Fast bowlers have been rested from the national duties every now and then considering the heavy workload.

India will open their World Cup campaign on June 5 against South Africa.