Ball replacement regulations and the contentious Impact Player rule grabbed much of the attention during the annual captains’ meet, ahead of IPL 2026, at the BCCI headquarters in Mumbai on Wednesday afternoon.
Javagal Srinath and Nitin Menon, head of the BCCI’s match referees, and India’s representative on the ICC Elite umpires’ panel, respectively, addressed the captains during a two-hour session. Nine of the 10 franchises had their regular captains attending the conclave while stand-in captain Ishan Kishan represented Sunrisers Hyderabad in place of Pat Cummins.
Most of the interest centred around the two-bouncer rule, bat checks and ball replacement provisions.
The BCCI has recently shared the playing conditions for the season with the franchises, highlighting key changes to Rule 4.4 (change of ball in the second innings); 5.8.3 (bat checks); 18.5.1 and 18.5.2 (deliberate short runs); 19.5.2 (fielder grounded beyond the boundary); 28.7.6 (restriction on the placement of the fielder); and Appendix D-3.9 (combining umpire review with player review).
The team bowling second can request for a change of ball only once after the completion of the 10th over. This is applicable only once during the second innings of the evening games irrespective of whether there is dew or not on the outfield.
One of the captains proposed that teams should be allowed to change the ball
after the 10th over of the first innings.
According to the revised rules, umpires can change the ball for being wet/out of shape/lost/damaged any time before the 10th over. The fielding captain can still request for a ball change after the completion of the 10th over and the umpires will have to mandatorily change the ball.
But any further change after that will be at the discretion of the umpires.
The Impact Player rule has been debated upon since its inception in the IPL in 2024. Most of the captains expressed their reservations on its tactical implications. But the captains were categorically told that it will stay till IPL 2027.
Delhi Capitals’ Axar Patel recently criticised the rule since it “diminishes” the role of an all-rounder.
The captains were also learnt to have been cautioned about fielder movement before and after completing a catch. They have been told that the fielder must have full control of the ball and his body before the catch is deemed complete and celebrations break out.
Clippings from various matches in the recent T20 World Cup were shown to explain the point to the captains.
The BCCI also provided clarity on the revised training guidelines for the teams. Under the new directives, no formal practice sessions are permitted on match-day and if a team concludes its scheduled practice session earlier, the opposing team cannot utilise the facilities for the remaining time on those wickets.
IPL chairman Arun Singh Dhumal and COO Hemang Amin attended the conclave.