Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Devajit Saikia responded to a media report claiming that the Indian Premier League (IPL) will be further expanded ahead of the 2028 season. The remark from the top official of the Indian cricket governing body came after it was claimed that Vadodara and Pune could get teams and the tournament could become a 12-team event ahead of the 2028 season.

For those unversed, the 21st edition will mark the start of a new media rights cycle, which allows the board to negotiate new terms and schedule. Ahead of the start of the previous cycle (2022-2027), the IPL was expanded to a 10-team event with Gujarat Titans (GT) and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) entering the scheme.

However, Saikia denied any such suggestion and claimed the BCCI has not discussed the proposal either formally or informally.

"We have neither discussed formally nor informally the possibility of the IPL becoming a 12-team affair in 2028. It is not in our scope at this stage. We are concerned about the IPL of 2027, which is going to be the 20th edition of the IPL. So it will be a big affair. We are concerned about that and we are not considering anything beyond that.

"Whatever news is circulating in the media, I think these are all speculative reports from some fertile minds. I have no comments to offer regarding those. There is no sanctity to those reports," said Saikia in an interaction with PTI.

Meanwhile, the BCCI secretary also claimed no decision has been taken on increasing the salary purse ahead of the 2028 mega auction.

"There is nothing of that sort regarding an increase in the salary purse. The mega auction will be sometime next year. This time it will not be a mega auction. Our auction is going to take place on December 16, which will be the last year of the cycle. Thereafter, we will take a call," said Saikia.

Meanwhile, Saikia also responded to Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) owner Juhi Chawla Mehta, calling for the IPL's window to be shifted to January instead of the usual April and May. "We are concerned about hosting the 2027 IPL, which is going to start in March 2027. That's all," Saikia stated.

For those unversed, Juhi claimed that the IPL must influence the cricket calendar and the league should not be played in the harsh heat of April and May.