Arun Dhumal pushes two-window IPL

Published May 27, 2026 by The Daily Scout

- Arun Dhumal said on May 26 the IPL is exploring two seasonal windows to add matches, as the BCCI weighs calendar, weather and broadcaster constraints. - Dhumal told Sportstar one option is a September-October slot, and said May heat is now a challenge as planners examine a split schedule. - Post-2027 calendar talks with broadcasters and other cricket boards will shape any larger IPL window or split-season format.

Why it matters

Arun Dhumal said on May 26 that the Indian Premier League is exploring a split-season format as it looks for room to add matches beyond the current 74-game schedule. In an interview with Sportstar in Dharamshala, the IPL chairman said the league could be divided across two windows if the Board of Control for Cricket in India secures enough space in the international calendar. He also said weather has become a planning issue, with May conditions adding pressure to the league’s traditional March-to-May run. Any change, he said, would require discussions with broadcasters and other cricket boards. ### Why is the IPL even considering two windows? The IPL currently runs 74 matches, and Dhumal said that format leaves all 10 teams unable to play each other twice in the league phase. In an earlier interview reported by Cricbuzz, he said there is no space in the current calendar to move directly from 74 matches to 94 matches. He said a larger window could be discussed only in the next international cycle after 2027. (sportstar.thehindu.com) Dhumal told Sportstar the league wants more matches because of the tournament’s growth and reach. The two-window idea is one of the options under study to create that extra inventory without forcing all of the expansion into one uninterrupted block. ### What exactly did Dhumal say about the split format? (cricbuzz.com) Dhumal told Sportstar, as quoted by Firstpost, that the BCCI is “looking if we can find a window from February to April and then later in the year.” He also said one suggestion under consideration was a September-October slot, which he described as attractive from an advertising standpoint because it comes before Diwali. (sportstar.thehindu.com) The Sportstar interview framed the proposal as a way to “divide the tournament across two windows to get more matches.” That places the discussion around scheduling, not a formal announcement of a new format for the next season. ### How much of this is about weather? (firstpost.com) May weather was one of the clearest reasons Dhumal gave for rethinking the calendar. He said, according to Firstpost’s report of the Sportstar interview, that “May getting very hot” has become a challenge for the league. Dharamshala, where Dhumal spoke to Sportstar, has been one of the cooler late-season venues on the IPL map, and the interview itself was conducted around a playoff match there. (sportstar.thehindu.com) The weather point adds to the scheduling case for either shifting part of the season or moving some matches into another part of the year. That is an inference from Dhumal’s remarks about heat and alternate windows. (firstpost.com) ### Who would need to sign off before this could happen? Broadcasters are central to any schedule change. Dhumal said the BCCI would need to “sit across and speak to the broadcaster” before moving the tournament into another window, according to Firstpost. Other cricket boards would also be involved because IPL participation depends heavily on overseas players and on gaps in the global calendar. (sportstar.thehindu.com) Dhumal said the current bilateral schedule is locked until 2027, and that wider talks would come when the next cycle is planned. He added that the IPL affects “all other cricket boards and players who play across the globe.” (firstpost.com) ### What happens next? The next step is not a format launch but a set of negotiations. Dhumal said post-2027 calendar discussions will determine whether the IPL can secure a bigger window, while separate talks with broadcasters will test whether a September-October slot or a split February-to-April and later-year structure is workable. As of May 27, neither the BCCI nor the IPL had announced a final timetable change for the tournament. (cricbuzz.com)

Key numbers

Arun Dhumal said on May 26 the IPL is exploring two seasonal windows to add matches, as the BCCI weighs calendar, weather and broadcaster constraints.
Post-2027 calendar talks with broadcasters and other cricket boards will shape any larger IPL window or split-season format.
Arun Dhumal said on May 26 that the Indian Premier League is exploring a split-season format as it looks for room to add matches beyond the current 74-game schedule.
The IPL currently runs 74 matches, and Dhumal said that format leaves all 10 teams unable to play each other twice in the league phase.

What happens next

Arun Dhumal said on May 26 that the Indian Premier League is exploring a split-season format as it looks for room to add matches beyond the current 74-game schedule.
In an interview with Sportstar in Dharamshala, the IPL chairman said the league could be divided across two windows if the Board of Control for Cricket in India secures enough space in the international calendar.
He also said weather has become a planning issue, with May conditions adding pressure to the league’s traditional March-to-May run.

Sources

Quick answers

What happened in Arun Dhumal pushes two-window IPL?

Arun Dhumal said on May 26 the IPL is exploring two seasonal windows to add matches, as the BCCI weighs calendar, weather and broadcaster constraints. Dhumal told Sportstar one option is a September-October slot, and said May heat is now a challenge as planners examine a split schedule. Post-2027 calendar talks with broadcasters and other cricket boards will shape any larger IPL window or split-season format.

Why does Arun Dhumal pushes two-window IPL matter?

Arun Dhumal said on May 26 that the Indian Premier League is exploring a split-season format as it looks for room to add matches beyond the current 74-game schedule. In an interview with Sportstar in Dharamshala, the IPL chairman said the league could be divided across two windows if the Board of Control for Cricket in India secures enough space in the international calendar. He also said weather has become a planning issue, with May conditions adding pressure to the league’s traditional March-to-May run. Any change, he said, would require discussions with broadcasters and other cricket boards. Why is the IPL even considering two windows? The IPL currently runs 74 matches, and Dhumal said that format leaves all 10 teams unable to play each other twice in the league phase. In an earlier interview reported by Cricbuzz, he said there is no space in the current calendar to move directly from 74 matches to 94 matches. He said a larger window could be discussed only in the next international cycle after 2027. (sportstar.thehindu.com) Dhumal told Sportstar the league wants more matches because of the tournament’s growth and reach. The two-window idea is one of the options under study to create that extra inventory without forcing all of the expansion into one uninterrupted block. What exactly did Dhumal say about the split format? (cricbuzz.com) Dhumal told Sportstar, as quoted by Firstpost, that the BCCI is “looking if we can find a window from February to April and then later in the year.” He also said one suggestion under consideration was a September-October slot, which he described as attractive from an advertising standpoint because it comes before Diwali. (sportstar.thehindu.com) The Sportstar interview framed the proposal as a way to “divide the tournament across two windows to get more matches.” That places the discussion around scheduling, not a formal announcement of a new format for the next season. How much of this is about weather? (firstpost.com) May weather was one of the clearest reasons Dhumal gave for rethinking the calendar. He said, according to Firstpost’s report of the Sportstar interview, that “May getting very hot” has become a challenge for the league. Dharamshala, where Dhumal spoke to Sportstar, has been one of the cooler late-season venues on the IPL map, and the interview itself was conducted around a playoff match there. (sportstar.thehindu.com) The weather point adds to the scheduling case for either shifting part of the season or moving some matches into another part of the year. That is an inference from Dhumal’s remarks about heat and alternate windows. (firstpost.com) Who would need to sign off before this could happen? Broadcasters are central to any schedule change. Dhumal said the BCCI would need to “sit across and speak to the broadcaster” before moving the tournament into another window, according to Firstpost. Other cricket boards would also be involved because IPL participation depends heavily on overseas players and on gaps in the global calendar. (sportstar.thehindu.com) Dhumal said the current bilateral schedule is locked until 2027, and that wider talks would come when the next cycle is planned. He added that the IPL affects “all other cricket boards and players who play across the globe.” (firstpost.com) What happens next? The next step is not a format launch but a set of negotiations. Dhumal said post-2027 calendar discussions will determine whether the IPL can secure a bigger window, while separate talks with broadcasters will test whether a September-October slot or a split February-to-April and later-year structure is workable. As of May 27, neither the BCCI nor the IPL had announced a final timetable change for the tournament. (cricbuzz.com)