With the Indian Premier League (IPL) approaching its 18th season, IPL Chairman Arun Dhumal asserted on Saturday that the tournament is still stronger than ever and isn't threatened at all by the increasing number of T20 leagues globally.
In an interview with PTI, Dhumal avoided hearsay regarding a proposed cricket league funded by Saudi Arabia, pointing out that there is no infrastructure within the country as of now to host a tournament of the IPL's magnitude.
Dhumal voiced his opinion that the emergence of T20 leagues in developing nations like Saudi Arabia, Europe, and the USA would ultimately turn out to be positive for the game, particularly with cricket making its Olympic debut in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. He stated, "There is no point discussing something on the basis of speculation. There is nothing on the table for discussion with everyone (all stakeholders). To the best of my knowledge, there is no Saudi Arabian infrastructure to support a tournament of this magnitude.
In spite of coverage from international media within the last two years as to whether Saudi Arabia would enter the game of cricket, there has been nothing concrete. Yet Saudi Arabia has had dealings with the IPL before, sponsoring the league and the hosting of the mega auction last year.
As the IPL is worth more than USD 12 billion, placing it at the position of being the second most valuable sport league in the world per match, Dhumal asserted categorically that there is no other cricket league seriously threatening the IPL. Owners of the IPL have also stretched their presence through investments in foreign board-organized leagues like the CPL, SA20, MLC, ILT20, and The Hundred in England.
"Getting cricket into the Olympics is a thought to expand the game worldwide," said Dhumal. "It is nice that more leagues are coming into place, and we don't see anyone as a threat. We would like to ensure that more and more games take place in different territories, the new territories. Whether it is Saudi, America, Europe, it doesn't matter.". No one can prevent anyone and we would not like to prevent anyone. We will only concentrate on making our tournament and our property stronger.
Regarding the two-year ban handed to England sensation Harry Brook for withdrawing from his contract with Delhi Capitals, Dhumal justified the penalty, explaining that the decision was taken because of the effect of the withdrawal on the team's strategy. "Teams select players through auction keeping a specific plan in mind. If a player drops out for no valid reason, it disrupts the entire game plan of the affected team and influences the tournament," he said.
Dhumal also spoke about the good reaction to the IPL's Impact Player Rule, saying that it has raised the level of the game. He announced that the rule will continue until 2027. On the growth of Indian all-rounders, Dhumal said that the IPL's impact has set the bar high for quality bowlers and batsmen, so the all-rounders have a higher standard to maintain as well.
In an effort to further enhance the league, Dhumal pointed out that the IPL move to lift the five-year suspension on saliva use and implement new technologies this season, such as DRS for height and off-stump wides, was great. "The quality of the game enhances with the fairness of the game," he stated, adding that this is in continuation of the efforts of the league to enhance with every season.
Although the IPL runs within a two-month duration, Dhumal did mention the difficulties faced in opening the window to go beyond two months, considering that bilateral series as well as ICC events hold relevance. Still, he opined that more of a window period would suit every stakeholder involved. "We would like to have more number of games as well as duration of the tournament when there's a bigger window," he included.
Dhumal ended by underlining that IPL needs to keep innovating and improving the fan experience to stay ahead as the best sporting league in the world. “The fan is at the heart of any sport… Our goal is to solidify IPL's position as the world's premier sporting league," he said, citing the growing viewership records in India, as well as the surge in viewership across international markets like the UK, USA, Australia, Malaysia, and the Middle East.
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