The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has been on the offensive for a little while now. Not too long ago, they listed strict rules for cricketers to adhere to following back-to-back Test series defeats. Now, the board has strictly told the state association that they aren’t allowed to host any sort of matches other than domestic games before the Indian Premier League (IPL) starts.
IPL franchises barred from using home grounds by BCCI
The development comes after several tournaments, including the likes of the Legends League or the Celebrity Premier League, are being hosted at proper stadiums. BCCI has told state associations that even IPL franchises aren’t allowed to use the main square and the outfield for practice.
“We would like to clarify the following regarding the usage of grounds before the IPL. The main square and the outfield may be used for the Ranji Trophy knockout matches, should any be scheduled at your venue. Under no circumstances should the main square and outfield be used for any local matches, legends league, celebrity cricket, or provided to the IPL franchises for practice sessions. This is essential to preserve the pitch and outfield in prime conditions for the IPL matches,” BCCI wrote to state associations in an email, according to CricBuzz.
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Today (February 8), two Celebrity Premier League matches were played at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, which comes under the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), the home of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Given the IPL 2025 season starts on March 24, the BCCI wants pitches to be fresh for their premier tournament.
Since the Ranji Trophy won’t end until early March, with the final of 2024-25 being played from February 26 to March 2, the BCCI won’t allow the venues that host the quarterfinals and semifinals to host any other games.
Many IPL franchises have started their preparations, but now they have hit a snag. Not all teams have two stadiums in their home base. It’ll be fascinating to see how the IPL franchises react to these new challenges presented by the board.
