The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has come out with new rules, limiting the pre-season practice sessions for all IPL teams ahead of the IPL 2025, which is set to begin on March 22. According to new rules, each team can have no more than seven practice sessions of three hours in the run up to the Indian Premier league 2025. Only two warm-up games will be allowed. Moreover, no open or match-practice will be permitted once the new season gets underway. As per Cricbuzz, the decision to introduce new rules has been taken to safeguard the pitches as they have already taken a lot of load due to the bustling domestic season.
"In advance of the first match of the season and as set out in the Stadium Agreement, teams may have up to seven (7) practice sessions of up to three (3) hours in duration under floodlights, of which two (2) can be practice matches or open nets as decided by the team. The practice matches to take place on one of the side wickets of the main square. If a team is playing a practice match under lights, the duration of the match should not exceed more than three and a half hours. As per the Operational Rules, practice matches require the prior written approval of the BCCI," the BCCI note said, according to the report.
"In order to prepare the pitch for the season, no practice sessions or practice matches may be played on the main square in the four (4) days leading up to the relevant franchisee's first home match of the season. However, 1 side wicket per team will be provided for range hitting on these days. During this period, if requested by the home franchise, the State Association."
The BCCI also recommended a plan if both sides want to practice at the same time ahead of their IPL encounter.
"In the event that the home and away teams wish to practice at the same time, BCCI will ask the two Team Managers to try and resolve the double booking - either by one of the teams taking another session or by the two teams sharing the session. In the event that the two teams cannot resolve the double booking, BCCI will determine the practice times having considered the requests of both teams with the likely outcome that two 2 hour slots are created thereby giving both teams similar playing conditions with exclusive use of the ground (e.g. 18.00 - 20.00 & 20.00 - 22.00)."