Since the IPL began in 2008, it has featured 15 different franchises across its seasons. The league’s most recent additions—Gujarat Titans and Lucknow Super Giants—arrived before the 2022 campaign, when the competition moved to a 10-team structure. Yet, despite the state’s well-documented production line of cricket talent, there is still no IPL franchise that directly represents Bihar.
Quick facts
- The IPL started in 2008 and has seen 15 different franchises so far.
- Gujarat Titans and Lucknow Super Giants joined ahead of the 2022 season, when the league expanded to 10 teams.
- Bihar has no IPL franchise representing the state.
- Billionaire Anil Agarwal urged the creation of a Bihar-based IPL team.
- The call highlights Bihar players Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Ishan Kishan, plus bowler Saqib Hussain.
- IPL chairman Arun Singh Dhumal hinted at a potential expansion to 94 matches from 2028, with full home-and-away across 10 teams.
Billionaire entrepreneur Anil Agarwal—founder and chairman of Vedanta Resources Limited—made a public pitch for an IPL side tied to Bihar. In his post, he pointed to a perceived gap between the talent emerging from the state and the cricketing platform it currently receives at the franchise level.
Agarwal’s concern was that Bihar still hasn’t been granted the cricketing identity “it deserves,” even though players from the region have already made major impacts. He cited Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Ishan Kishan as examples of how Bihar’s pathway to elite cricket can produce record-makers.
He specifically argued that Bihar deserves its own franchise on the same lines as established IPL brands such as Chennai Super Kings, Mumbai Indians, and Kolkata Knight Riders. For Agarwal, the state’s contribution to Indian cricket is undeniable, and the league should reflect that heritage with a team that carries Bihar’s name and spirit.
Among the milestones highlighted, Ishan Kishan—born in Patna—was noted for scoring the fastest ODI double century in terms of balls faced. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, from Samastipur, was described as the youngest player to earn an IPL debut, underlining how quickly Bihar talent can rise to top-level attention.
Agarwal also drew attention to Saqib Hussain, born into an ordinary family in Gopalganj, emphasising that the spotlight is increasingly turning toward the next generation of Bihar-based performers. The message was that the state’s cricket story should not remain confined to individual success stories, but evolve into a wider, franchise-backed identity.
In a more personal tone, Agarwal questioned why Bihar has not yet received the recognition and platform in cricket that he believes it is owed. He added that it has always been his dream to ensure Bihar’s youth receive genuine opportunities to excel across every field, backed by world-class infrastructure and support within the state itself.
He expressed confidence that if children from Bihar are given the right inspiration and facilities, a team emerging from the region could become among the best in the world. Agarwal said he stands firmly with Bihar’s young people and pledged unconditional support to help advance a Bihar cricket team and its players.
For him, Bihar is more than a geographical label—he described it as “an emotion.” He concluded by saying the time has come for the talent of the state to shine on the field, reinforcing the central argument for an IPL franchise that represents Bihar.
What about IPL expansion?
While the Bihar franchise debate continues, the league’s future schedule has also been discussed at the top level. In 2025, IPL chairman Arun Singh Dhumal hinted that the tournament could expand from 74 matches to 94 matches starting in 2028, moving toward a complete home-and-away format involving the 10 teams.
Even with that projection, there has been no indication—at least in the immediate term—that two additional franchises will be added. That leaves the question of whether Bihar could be next in line still dependent on future expansion decisions beyond the match-count changes.
