We Might Have The IPL Between July And September As BCCI Looks For New Window

BCCI is willing to do what it takes in order to hold the IPL if the coronavirus outbreak is under control in the coming months.

Initially it seemed the plan was to play a shortened tournament as the window was until May. It has already been postponed to April 15 from the original start date of March 29.

But now it appears that option is not on the table. It turns out the plan is to hold a full scale tournament in the July-September window.

The Future Tours Programme (FTP) - cricket's annual calendar - for the year 2020 has little of consequence between the months of July and September barring the Asia Cup T20 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) scheduled in September and England hosting Pakistan at home before playing Ireland in the white ball format.

That aside, the England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is officially planning to launch The Hundred from this English summer (between June & July).

But England and Pakistan aside, most other cricketing nations - Australia, West Indies, New Zealand, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Afghanistan (the last three will be part of the Asia Cup) - do not have a packed window.

Other than the Asia Cup in September, the only series India are scheduled to play before the T20 World Cup in Australia are three ODIs and 3 T20s in Sri Lanka (June / July).

What BCCI is likely wondering right now if those schedules can be tweaked and how.

"The 2009 IPL - in South Africa - was played inside 37 days. That's five weeks and two days. If that kind of a window is made available, the IPL can be held partly in India and partly overseas, or the entire tournament can be shifted, depending on how the Covid-19 situation is globally," say those in the know.

There are certain formulas based upon which the scheduling of a tournament functions. In the case of IPL, "with every week lost from a minimum of 37 days, nine to 11 matches have to be shaved off," say industry executives.

Based on this, the scheduling of the tournament will take effect, should accommodating circumstances prevail in the near future.

The league's multiple stakeholders are already busy working on the various options that can be presented when the time arrives.