If you are an IPL player who did not make the playing XI this season, life just got a lot more restricted. The BCCI has introduced a fresh set of guidelines for IPL 2026 that tightly regulate where benched players can go, where they can sit, and what they can do on match days — turning the dugout experience into something closer to a controlled zone than a casual viewing area.
According to a report by Cricbuzz, the board’s updated directives specifically target non-playing squad members, curbing their movement around the ground and restricting access to areas near LED advertising boards. Players and support staff who are not part of the match-day XI are no longer permitted to sit in front of LED boards — a rule introduced after repeated incidents of players damaging sponsor signage during warm-ups and casual practice.
The sponsorship team will now mark designated spots across the field of play where substitutes carrying towels and water bottles can be seated. That means even the act of being a drinks carrier has been mapped and assigned by the BCCI.
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No Practice, No Roaming, Team Bus Only
The restrictions extend well beyond match-day seating. Under the new IPL 2026 guidelines, all players — including those on the bench — must travel to practice sessions exclusively via the team bus. No personal vehicles, no separate arrangements. Teams are permitted to travel in two batches if needed, but the bus rule is non-negotiable.
Practice itself has been curtailed. Match-day practice sessions are completely banned — no team can use the main square or conduct fitness tests on days when a game is scheduled. On non-match days, franchises get two nets in the practice area and one side wicket on the main square for range hitting. Open nets are not allowed. And if a team finishes its session early, the other team cannot use that pitch — even if it is sitting empty.
Family members and friends of players cannot travel in team vehicles. They can attend matches, but only from the hospitality area. The dressing room is strictly off-limits to anyone without accreditation.
Orange Cap, Purple Cap — Wear Them Or Else
The BCCI has also introduced broadcast-specific rules that directly affect player conduct during matches. The holders of the Orange Cap (most runs) and Purple Cap (most wickets) are now required to wear their caps on match days. If they choose not to wear them throughout, they must at least have them on for the first two overs so that broadcast cameras can capture the shot.
In post-match presentations, sleeveless jerseys and floppy hats are banned. The first breach gets a warning. Repeat offenders face financial penalties. The BCCI wants a clean, standardised look for its marquee broadcast moments — and it is willing to fine players to get it.
Why Is The BCCI Doing This?
The short answer: control. The IPL is a ₹125,000+ crore ecosystem, and the BCCI wants every element — from player movement to sponsor visibility to broadcast aesthetics — to operate within a tightly managed framework. The rules also reflect concerns about pitch quality (hence the match-day practice ban) and fair competition (teams cannot use each other’s nets, even inadvertently).
For players warming the bench, the message is clear — your presence at the ground is functional, not recreational. Sit where you are told, travel how you are told, and do not touch the LED boards.
Whether this changes how the IPL feels from the inside remains to be seen. But from the outside, the days of benched players casually lounging near the boundary rope are over.
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