# Ness Wadia backs January window for IPL _Punjab Kings co-owner Ness Wadia supports shifting the league to January to avoid heat and rain._ - Publisher: Apex Sports News (https://apexsportsnews.in) - Canonical URL: https://apexsportsnews.in/news/ness-wadia-backs-january-window-for-ipl - Author: Sapna Pandey, Sports writer (https://apexsportsnews.in/author/sapna-pandey) - Published: 2026-11-12T03:07:18.518Z - Section: Cricket > IPL - Topics: IPL, Punjab Kings, Juhi Chawla, Lalit Modi, Ness Wadia ## Summary Ness Wadia has backed a January window for the IPL, joining Kolkata Knight Riders co-owner Juhi Chawla and former IPL chairman Lalit Modi. He said the domestic and international calendars must be considered first. ## Key takeaways - Ness Wadia supports moving the IPL to January. - He wants more matches, suggesting 94 games. - Juhi Chawla and Lalit Modi have also backed the idea. - Wadia said domestic and international schedules must be factored in. ## Article Ness Wadia, co-owner of Punjab Kings, has backed a January window for the Indian Premier League. Speaking to Cricbuzz about the Hardik Pandya-Arshdeep Singh trade, Wadia said he would support shifting the league from its usual April-May slot. He cited rain and extreme heat as reasons the current timing is difficult, and suggested January would offer better conditions for cricket and a better experience overall. Wadia also said expanding the league to 94 matches could be considered if the window is moved. ## Wadia on scheduling and broader support Wadia stressed that any change would require assessing the domestic calendars of India and other countries alongside the international calendar before a decision is made. He described the proposal as conceptually a good idea. Kolkata Knight Riders co-owner Juhi Chawla has also endorsed the concept, writing on X that the IPL has earned the right to influence the cricket calendar rather than find a place in it, and questioning why the biggest cricket tournament on the planet is played in the harshest heat. The idea was first raised by former IPL chairman Lalit Modi, who has proposed identifying the best window from October to the end of April, with January as a concrete starting point. Modi said he is not seeking seven uninterrupted months of exclusive IPL cricket, but wants fixtures, venues, travel requirements and player commitments reviewed to design the season properly. ## What happens next The proposal would require coordination between the BCCI, other cricket boards and player schedules. Ness Wadia is an Indian businessman and managing director of Bombay Burmah Trading Corporation, which has holdings across Wadia Group subsidiaries including an indirect majority stake in Britannia Industries. He was Joint Managing Director of Bombay Dyeing until March 2011 and is a co-owner of Punjab Kings. ### Related on Apex Sports News - [KKR co-owner Juhi Chawla backs January start for IPL](https://apexsportsnews.in/news/kkr-co-owner-juhi-chawla-backs-january-start-for-ipl) - [IPL set to expand to 12 teams with two new franchises in 2028](https://apexsportsnews.in/news/ipl-set-to-expand-to-12-teams-with-two-new-franchises-in-2028) - [Arshdeep Singh traded to Mumbai Indians ahead of IPL 2027](https://apexsportsnews.in/news/arshdeep-singh-traded-to-mumbai-indians-ahead-of-ipl-2027) ### Sources - [cricbuzz.com](https://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/140875/ness-wadia-backs-january-window-for-ipl-cricbuzzcom) - [Wikipedia: Ness Wadia (background)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ness_Wadia) - [Photo: shents, Pixabay Content License (Pixabay)](https://pixabay.com/photos/cricket-bowler-howzat-out-724619/) --- Source: Apex Sports News, https://apexsportsnews.in/news/ness-wadia-backs-january-window-for-ipl. Please cite and link the original article when quoting.