IPL to have 10 teams from 2023?

Undoubtedly the best cricket league in the world and probably the most competitive of them all, the prestigious Indian Premier League has been going through a lot of changes over the past few years. But one thing that hasn’t changed since 2014 edition is the number of participating teams. It has been been continuing with the 8 team model for many years now. But the former COO of the IPL feels there is a need to expand the IPL by 2023.

IPL will have 10 teams by 2023 says former COO

Considering the popularity of the cash-rich league, we could see the number of teams getting increased in the coming years. There have been many reports that BCCI is planning to expand the league once again. Considering what the ex-IPL COO Sundar Raman said in a recent interview with Telegraph Sport, it seems that it could happen in the next two or three years. Going by his words, it seems BCCI would take the opportunity to expand the league in the upcoming years as it has become a need now.

“I definitely think that a 10-team IPL is on the horizon in two to three years. There is a need to expand. IPL is a more mature game now than what it was in 2008,” Sundar told The Telegraph. “The amount of infrastructure that’s available, the amount of talent that is available, and the amount of revenue that these players can earn and make a living out of it require some serious consideration – and I would think that it is a requirement of the league for IPL to expand. If IPL has to expand and that’s what will grow the game, why not?” he explained.

Clashes with International calendar

More matches being played would mean a larger window would be required. And hence the availability of foreign players for these prolonged period will be something to think about. As of now many countries have joined and tried to keep a window for the tournament as they want the players to play in the league. 

He also pointed out that the board needs to figure out a structure where every international team benefits financially. Pakistan players have been restricted from IPL since 2009. It is also very rare that a player from Sri Lanka, Bangladesh or Zimbabwe gets a chance in the tournament.

The failed model

IPL had once been played with 10 teams. In 2011, only in its fourth edition IPL took a bold step to introduce two more teams, Kochi and Pune were added to the mix to make the league a 10-team affair. However, that didn’t last too long. Kochi was terminated by BCCI ahead of the next season and league had nine franchises in the next two seasons. In 2014, the tournament went back to its eight-team format after Pune decided to pull out due to financial differences with the board.

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