IPL must be longer for all 10 teams to play home and away, says Punjab Kings co-owner

New Delhi: Punjab Kings co-owner Mohit Burman believes that the Indian Premier League (IPL) must have a window long enough to ensure that all teams play each other on a home and away basis.

In the current system, every team plays 14 league games over the course of a season but not all sides play each other twice.

The number of games is likely to go up from 74 to 94 in the media rights cycle starting from 2028.

Amid the debate on a potential change of IPL window, Burman said the immediate focus should be on making all teams face each other twice in the league stage.

"IPL has to become longer so that all 10 teams play each other home and away. There are several factors to consider when discussing the IPL window - the international cricket calendar, player availability, weather conditions, broadcasters and, of course, the fans.

"The current window has worked extremely well for the league, but I'm sure the BCCI will continue evaluating what is best for the tournament," Burman told PTI.

KKR co-owner Juhi Chawla recently suggested moving up the IPL to January instead of the usual March end.

Burman also felt there should be no addition to the 10 teams until the window is long enough to play each other twice on a home and away basis.

"There should be no more new teams until the window is long enough for every team to play each other home and away," said the Dabur India chairman.

It's not often that you get opportunity to bring a player like Hardik

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On the biggest trade deal of the IPL, Burman said bringing in a charismatic all-rounder like Hardik Pandya aligned with the team's goals of winning titles. In return, Punjab Kings had to give pace spearhead Arshdeep Singh to Mumbai Indians.

"It's not often that you get an opportunity to bring in a player like Hardik Pandya. He's one of the finest all-rounders in world cricket, someone who can change the course of a match with both bat and ball. He also brings leadership, experience and the ability to perform in pressure situations.

"For us, it was about adding another dimension to an already strong squad. We reached the final in 2025, and our ambition is to take that next step and win the title. Hardik gives us greater balance and flexibility, and that's extremely valuable in T20 cricket," said Burman.

How long did it take to close the deal with Mumbai Indians?

"These things don't happen overnight. For us, the opportunity to bring in a player of Hardik's calibre was extremely exciting. He's a proven match-winner, a leader and someone who brings enormous value to the side.

"The management were closely involved in the discussions, and ultimately we felt this was a move that made sense for Punjab Kings and our ambitions going forward.

We have always maintained that we want to build a team capable of winning the IPL, and every decision we make has to be aligned with that objective."

I see it as a huge advantage: Burman on Hardik playing under Shreyas

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Burman brushed aside concerns over a proven leader like Hardik playing under PBKS skipper Shreyas Iyer.

"I don't see that as an issue at all. In fact, I see it as a huge advantage. Shreyas has done an outstanding job leading Punjab Kings, and taking us to the final in 2025 was a significant achievement.

"Hardik brings his own experience of captaining teams and winning championships. Having two strong cricketing minds in the dressing room can only benefit the franchise.

"Ultimately, they are both professionals who understand that the team comes first. Both are T20 specialists and share a great camaraderie and complement each other bringing different perspectives and strengths to the team," Burman said.

On letting Arshdeep go, he added: "It was extremely tough. Arshdeep has been a very important part of Punjab Kings, and we've seen him grow into one of the finest fast bowlers in the country.

"He's a Punjab boy, he's loved by our fans and he will always have a special place in this franchise. He was with us for the last 8 seasons. But in sport, you sometimes have to make difficult decisions."

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Mathrubhumi and is published from a syndicated feed.)