The former Indian opener Aakash Chopra has assured that there will be two versions of the cash-rich Indian Premier League in a year after a span of at least five years. While talking on his YouTube channel, he reckoned the fate of the IPL will be the same for the next five years, however, he was much more optimistic about witnessing two IPLs in a year.
He said whether or not it is required should not be considered but what should matter is 'two IPLs per year' happening for real. Notably, the IPL is growing bigger day by day. The 2022 edition saw ten teams making it a 70-match contest along with the final and the playoffs.
Consequently, he suggested that there will be two IPLs including the bigger and the smaller versions sequentially. According to him, the mega version will play 90 and more matches, whereas, the short version will be winded up within one month, with every team facing each other once.
“When you talk about this, then you feel if two IPLs are required. It does not matter whether it is required or not. Will it happen or won’t happen? That is the big question and I feel it will happen. It will 100% happen, there will be a big IPL, where there will be 94 matches, and one small IPL which will be over in one month, where all teams will play each other maybe once,” said the former Indian opener.
“Once you have sown the seeds, which was in your hands, and given them water for a few days, after that it takes its own course. Now it can become a huge banyan tree, all that can happen. Now it is the natural evolution of a tournament like the IPL,”
On a different note, he contradicted former coach, Ravi Shastri's idea of eliminating T20Is from the international cricket panel focusing more on franchise-based cricket. Instead, Chopra said the ODIs are boring, and hence, should be excluded.
