Former Indian opening batter and commentator Aakash Chopra has opened up on the reports of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) adding two new Indian Premier League (IPL) teams from 2028.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Chopra asserted that it doesn’t make any sense to add two more teams to the existing roster, adding that the existing teams aren’t playing other teams home and away in a proper format.
“In my opinion, it shouldn’t happen. There is talk about 12 teams. You will be able to sell these franchises, but is the IPL ready for a 12-team tournament? I am assuming that there will be only one tournament a year. Then it makes no sense whatsoever to add two more teams,” Aakash Chopra said on his YouTube channel.
“The premise of the IPL was each team playing the other home and away. You are unable to do that. You are unable to make teams play 18 matches. When you are unable to play now, if you add two more teams, you will make one more split in between. Why do you need to do it?” he added.
Further, Chopra shared his views on reports of IPL being played in the January to March window instead of its usual March to May window. The former opener asserted that it would be a bit tough for the IPL to get overseas players during the new window.
“There was a discussion that a new window should be created for the IPL, and that it should be played from January to March. The IPL doesn’t exist in isolation. It’s not the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, where you will be able to manage only with Indian players,” he said.
“There is a window for international cricket, which starts in September and continues till February-March. Only England don’t play in that window. If you do it from January to March, the weather will be very good, but will Australian and South African players come? Apart from English players, will you get the others?” Chopra concluded.
