BCCI considers three options for IPL 2025 resumption

INDIA: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has prepared three tentative schedules to resume the currently suspended IPL 2025 season, with a final decision expected in coming days.

The IPL Governing Council is to finalise the roadmap for the remainder of the tournament as a total of 16 matches, including the four playoffs, are yet to be played. Among the three proposed formats, one follows the traditional home-and-away structure, though venues such as Dharamsala might be excluded.

The other two drafts suggest a more restricted format, with matches limited to fewer venues, likely concentrated in southern cities such as Hyderabad, Bengaluru, and Chennai. According to media reports, the respective state associations have yet to receive any formal communication from the BCCI.

Although no formal statement has been issued, subtle hints from IPL and BCCI officials have prompted franchises to regroup at their respective bases as early as possible. All signs point toward the league resuming later this week, possibly on May 16 or 17.

Interestingly, even the members of the Governing Council had not received a formal notice about Monday’s meeting as of Sunday night. However, meetings can be convened with as little as 15 minutes’ notice—as was the case when the league was suspended, with the decision finalised within that time frame.

Given the logistical and safety challenges of hosting matches across multiple venues, the BCCI may opt to limit the tournament to select centers. As of now, no definitive call has been made on this front. It remains uncertain whether all overseas players—many of whom exited the country during last week’s turbulent developments—will return to complete the season. Nonetheless, the BCCI’s primary focus is to bring the league to a satisfactory conclusion, even if it means proceeding without the full contingent of international players.—