BCCI Introduces New Rules Ahead of IPL 2025
As the IPL 2025 fever accelerates further, the BCCI has been introducing new rules and guidelines one after the other to ensure the latest season is marshalled with utmost uniformity and conformance by the ten franchises.
To avoid any deviations, BCCI has partially extended its recently implemented Standard Operating Processes (SOPs) of the Indian team to the ten IPL franchises too.
These rules cover the mode of travel for players only by team bus and barring the entry of families in players’ dressing rooms on non-match days. Following India’s loss in the Test series against Australia, the BCCI came up with an improvised set of regulations that barred personal managers of players from travelling in the official team bus besides limiting the presence of players’ family members on tours.
The replica of the exact SOPs cannot be really applied in a multiple team competition like the IPL due to the logistical and administrative challenges, but few of the rules have been incorporated in the world’s most expensive and premier T20 cricket league.
“Players to use the team bus while coming for practice. Teams may travel in two batches.” read a BCCI note that was shared with the team managers of all IPL sides recently.
As for as the families of players, they won’t be allowed in the dressing room even on training days, to avoid any plausible distractions or controversies from the opposing team’s players and support staff.
“On practice days (during pre-tournament & tournament), only accredited staff is allowed in the dressing room and on the field of play. The family members and friends to travel in a different vehicle and can watch team practice from the hospitality area only.”
With newly added rules apart from the already existing ones, the credibility of IPL as a class apart tournament will only further enhance. These freshly minted guidelines have been welcomed and appreciated by franchise officials, with an intent to comply and avoid ambiguity.
A pleasantly surprising rule introduced by BCCI for the IPL is the imposition of fine on players in the occurrence of forgetting to carry their accreditation card at the venue or showing up at the post-match presentation wearing loose and sleeveless clothes. This mandate is seemingly one of its kind, as the attention to detail on the attire of players is no something that had been earlier looked into.
“It is mandatory for PMOA (players and match officials) accredited staff to bring their accreditation on match day. On the first instance failure of not carrying the accreditation, warning will be issued. On second instance, monetary fine will be issued to the team.
“…In the post-match presentation, floppies and sleeveless jersey are not allowed. Failure to do so will result in warning on the first instance. On the second instance, there will be a financial penalty.” the BCCI dictate mentioned.
In the growing list of rules, the BCCI has elaborated more and stated that the scheduled fitness tests on players cannot be conducted on the main square during the match days. Normally team physios use the main track to test the fitness of the players just before the start of a match, which essentially can tamper the track’s levelling prior to the actual match.
An indispensable specification which has been recently communicated to the team managers and coaches is the need for the players to wear the orange and purple caps at least for two overs during an innings.
My Perspective:
To elaborate the released directives in detail, the BCCI members have scheduled an in-person meeting with all the confirmed captains on March 20 at the Cricket Centre in Mumbai.
The Indian Premier League 2025, which will see it’s 18th edition this year is all set to commence at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on March 22. The opening encounter will witness the defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders take on the fan favourites Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
All the sports enthusiasts and cricket lovers can cheer for their beloved players and witness the live match thrill only on Jio Hotstar and Star Sports channels as the official streaming partners.
