IPL 2026: BCCI enforce strict player access control after protocol violation

Rajeev Shukla (Pic: X/)

Rajeev Shukla, vice president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), announced that the cricket body is implementing new access control regulations for players during the Indian Premier League (IPL) in an effort to strengthen discipline and ensure stricter compliance with tournament protocols.

"The BCCI is setting up new rules. The access that the players have will be controlled; unauthorised people will not be allowed to meet the players, neither in hotels nor on buses, to ensure the transparency of the IPL," the BCCI VP said.

His comments follow BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia's announcement the day before that the board will send a strict advisory to all IPL franchises in response to many "anomalies and irregularities" involving players, team officials, and unauthorised individuals that have been noticed during the current season.

Saikia described the issue as severe and stated that the IPL and BCCI governing bodies would issue official advice to strengthen adherence to tournament rules. He issued a warning that the board would take "very stringent action" for any further infractions.

"This time, we have observed various anomalies and irregularities in the conduct of certain franchises and players. So BCCI and IPL are preparing an advisory, and we are going to release that advisory this evening because we have noticed that there are a lot of unauthorised persons who are moving along with the team members." Saikia told the reporters.

"We have also seen that certain team owners and officials are mingling with players in areas where it is not allowed. So there are certain protocols we have to follow, and we have seen there are some dilutions. We have taken this very seriously. We are issuing an advisory, and it will be very strictly followed. If there is any violation hereinafter, then BCCI and IPL will take very stringent action," he added.

Riyan Parag was fined for smoking an e-cigarette earlier

In the meantime, earlier in the season, the IPL also saw disciplinary actions. During his team's IPL match against the Punjab Kings (PBKS), Riyan Parag, the captain of the Rajasthan Royals (RR), was observed smoking an e-cigarette in the dressing room. Parag was fined 25 per cent of his match fee and handed a demerit point after he was caught vaping inside the dressing room.

In another incident, RR manager Ravinder Singh Bhinder was seen using a mobile phone near the dugout during a match against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium on April 10, and he was fined Rs 1 lakh.

(With ANI Input)