Kamal Ghorui
The captains of all IPL teams are set to meet with officials from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on March 25 to discuss a range of key issues, including the Impact Player rule and the code of conduct. However, the primary focus is expected to be on clarifications regarding the two-bouncer rule, bat checks, ball replacement, the use of saliva, and the retired-out provision. The IPL 2026 captains’ meeting will take place at the BCCI headquarters in Mumbai.According to a BCCI communique to the franchises on Tuesday, accessed by Cricbuzz, Javagal Srinath and Nitin Menon – heads of the BCCI’s match referees and umpires’ panels, respectively – will address the captains. The meeting is scheduled from 4:30 pm to 6 pm on Wednesday (March 25).
What will be the agenda?
The BCCI has recently shared the playing conditions for the season with 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).A glance at the new season’s playing conditions, in possession of this website, does not reveal any obvious changes, but the rules around ball replacement have been elaborated in detail – something that was absent in last year’s playing conditions. Rule 4.4 in the latest playing conditions reads:Ball Replacement Rules in IPL MatchesIf, during play, the ball is lost, cannot be recovered, or is deemed unfit for use due to normal wear and tear, the umpires will replace it with another ball that has a similar level of wear. Once the replacement is made, the umpires will inform both the batter and the fielding captain.Ball Change Rule in the Second InningsIn evening matches, the team bowling second is allowed to request one ball change after the completion of the 10th over. The request must be made only by the bowling captain and it must be made at the end of an over (not during an over). This rule applies only once in the second innings, regardless of dew conditions, replacement ball will have similar wear and tear as the previous one.Additionally, the umpires retain the authority to change the ball at any time during the match at their discretion.
Key Scenarios Explained
Scenario 1: If the umpires replace the ball before the 10th over due to it being wet, damaged, lost, or out of shape, the fielding captain still retains the right to request a ball change after the 10th over. In this case, the umpires are required to approve the request.Scenario 2: If the captain requests a ball change after the 10th over (e.g., in the 11th over) due to wet conditions and the umpires replace it: Any further request for a ball change later in the innings will be subject to the umpires’ discretion, not mandatory.Scenario 3: If the captain requests a ball change during the 11th over due to damage or shape issues and the umpires agree: The team can still make their one mandatory request after the 10th over (e.g., due to dew later), and the umpires must approve it.There are also other items like team sheet, toss, broadcast media commitments and awards, about which there is no elaboration. The session will begin with an introduction by IPL COO Hemang Aming.
