IPL 2023: "Indians To Remain Away From Overseas Leagues": IPL Chairman Arun Dhumal

Arun Dhumal, the new chairman of the IPL, believes that cricket’s premier T20 competition will become the world’s largest sporting league in the next five years.

After the media rights for the 2023-2027 cycle fetched a whopping Rs 48,390 crore, the IPL has become the world’s second most valuable sporting competition in terms of per-match value.

The IPL is set to have a two-and-a-half-month exclusive window with a maximum of 94 games with 10 teams, even though it has a far shorter window than American football leagues like the NFL or the EPL.

As per Dhumal, ongoing innovation is essential, and there is no reason why the IPL can’t grow to be the biggest sports league on the planet.

When asked how the BCCI intended to lift the bar for the gem in the crown of Indian cricket, Dhumal responded to PTI, “The IPL will be much bigger than it is and will be the number one sports league in the globe.”

The IPL’s growth has mostly been driven by its fans, and per Dhumal, there are measures in place to significantly enhance their viewing experience.

“We are definitely looking at various innovations that can be brought to make it more fan-friendly. For those who are watching it on Tv and those who are experiencing it at the stadium, we want them to have a better experience.”

“If we can make the IPL schedule well in advance, people from all around the world can plan their travel accordingly. It should be a value-for-money experience for the fans,” Arun Dhumal said.

“Our contracted players can’t go and play for other leagues”: Arun Dhumal

The BCCI is under pressure from the burgeoning T20 leagues around the world to release its prized players for international competitions. All six teams in the brand-new South African league were purchased by IPL owners, who obviously want to see some Indian players in the league.

Arun Dhumal stated that the BCCI has no plans to alter its current approach of keeping its players healthy despite a packed schedule, referring to both contract and non-contracted India players.

“This in principle is the decision of BCCI that our contracted players can’t go and play for other leagues. As it is there is so much cricket happening. Keeping in mind their overall well-being that decision has been taken. As of now, we stick to that decision.”

“Even the noncontracted ones are aspiring to play for India,” Arun Dhumal said.

The tentative dates for the IPL Schedule 2023 are 25 March through 28 May 2023.

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