'The demand is big' - Ravi Shastri predicts there can be two IPL seasons per year

Former Team India head coach Ravi Shastri reckons that the Indian Premier League (IPL) would extend to two separate seasons in a year, with the latter season being a shorter knockout competition that would follow the same format as in the World Cups. He also said that he would not be surprised if bilateral cricket would be reduced.

Shastri feels that the IPL could have two additional teams in the future, which would also extend the period of a season as well. The former India head coach feels that it is possible because it is driven by money, supply and demand. He opined that the expansion would be great for the sport, the players and broadcasters, adding that the IPL is an industry on its own.

“I think you might have two [IPL] seasons,” Shastri told Telegraph Sport’s Vaughany and Tuffers CC podcast. “I wouldn’t be surprised at all. If bilateral cricket is reduced, you might well have a shorter format of the IPL in the latter half of the year, more like a World Cup format with a knockout that decides the winner.”

There’s a lot of franchise cricket which can be encouraged: Ravi Shastri

“The full competition with 10 teams could go to 12 teams in the future with the schedule stretching from one-and-a-half to two months,” added Shastri. “All that is possible because it is driven by the money and supply and demand. The demand is big for that type of format.” 

“The IPL will be tempted to go in that direction. It’s great for the sport, great for the players, broadcasters and people who work around the teams. It’s [the IPL] an industry on its own now,” added the former India opener.

Shastri said that he would be “careful” about the number of bilateral splits in T20 cricket. He added that franchise cricket across the globe can be encouraged. He proposed that there should be less of bilateral series, thus leading to the World Cups becoming more important and the fans looking forward to them.

“I would be a little careful of the number of bilateral splits, especially in T20 cricket,” Shastri said. “There’s a lot of franchise cricket which can be encouraged, whichever country it’s in –  India, West Indies, or Pakistan.”