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Xtra Time Web Desk: At this moment, the Indian Premier League (IPL) stands as the undisputed top T20 franchise league in the world. Every season, this league generates substantial revenue for the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Recently, there have been reports that representatives of Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman, have engaged in discussions with Indian officials about creating a holding company for the IPL. This could potentially lead to significant investments from Saudi Arabia in the IPL.

However, amidst this interest from Saudi Arabia, the IPL's founder, Lalit Modi, has expressed his opinion on the matter. He has given his approval for such an arrangement. In 2013, Lalit Modi was banned by the BCCI, having proposed a concept of establishing a second division league in the IPL, where 20 teams would participate.

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In an exclusive interview with RevSportz, Lalit Modi stated, "I can see that the 50-over format will eventually fade away. I don't see any reality in it; it's just there. Test cricket still holds its reality even if it's a four-day or five-day affair. Day-night Tests should be there because people have time for it. With day-night Tests, you can attract more viewers."

"After the 2020 format, I haven't heard any news from BCCI. They haven't spoken to me in 15 years. I have no complaints about it, but if I were there, I would definitely think about a second-division league. Even if not a billion dollars, thinking of a value between $50 million to $100 million would be appropriate, as it was in the first year of the IPL. With 20 teams in this second division, competition between two teams' underperformance and two teams' promotion will intensify further. It will be highly valuable and will change the perspective of the players."

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Currently, the entire ownership of the IPL is in the hands of the BCCI. Now, it remains to be seen whether the holding company will indeed be established by Saudi Arabia's interest and how it will impact the Indian cricket board's operations.