Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) co-owner Juhi Chawla has backed former Indian Premier League (IPL) chairman Lalit Modi’s proposal to shift the tournament’s traditional April-May window to January, citing better weather conditions and an improved experience for players and spectators.

The actor, who co-owns the franchise with her husband Jay Mehta and Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan, believes the IPL has grown into a major cricketing property that can influence the international cricket calendar rather than adjust to it.

Chawla supported Modi’s suggestion that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) consider moving the competition away from the increasingly harsh summer conditions in India. Modi had proposed two alternatives: a January start or a structured October-April competition calendar. Chawla backed the January option, adding to the discussion around a possible change in the IPL’s scheduling.

Juhi Chawla backs Lalit Modi’s January IPL proposal

Chawla expressed her support for Modi’s proposal through a post on X on Monday, arguing that the IPL had established itself as a major global cricket tournament and should reconsider its traditional scheduling.

She said the league no longer needed to find its place in the international cricket calendar and had earned the right to influence it. Chawla also pointed to the challenging weather conditions during April and May, suggesting that January could offer better conditions for players and spectators.

Her comments came after Modi called on the BCCI to examine alternatives to the existing IPL window, with the former league chairman arguing that the tournament had sufficient commercial and sporting stature to determine its own schedule.

Check Juhi Chawla’s post here:

He urged the BCCI to use its authority to examine a revised calendar that would allow the league to operate under more favourable conditions.

Sports marketing expert also suggests IPL calendar rethink

Michael Rocha-Keys, founder and chief executive officer of sports marketing agency EMW Global, also believes in the need to reconsider the IPL’s scheduling while pointing to the wider requirements for developing India’s sporting ecosystem.

Citing global sporting properties such as the UEFA Champions League and World Cups, Rocha-Keys said these elements were important for building commercial value beyond individual tournaments and franchises.

Juhi Chawla and Shah Rukh Khan’s association with KKR

Juhi Chawla and Jay Mehta jointly own Kolkata Knight Riders alongside Shah Rukh Khan, with the trio acquiring the franchise ahead of the inaugural IPL season in 2008.

KKR initially struggled to win the tournament before securing their maiden IPL title in 2012 under Gautam Gambhir’s captaincy. The franchise won its second championship in 2014 and added a third title in 2024.