The glamour surrounding the Indian Premier League (IPL) is now bound by more stringent regulations. In reaction to the rising number of players, commentators, and even relatives taking to the reels and vlogging while participating in the event, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is conducting a severe crackdown. This came after some violations during the IPL 2026 season, which included filming within restricted zones, posting pictures on social media, and having guests stay beyond midnight. The board fears such content could expose sensitive information and increase corruption risks.
The BCCI’s Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) instructed the franchises to exercise caution when allowing any individual access to players and their staff.
As per a message from the board to franchises, “The reel culture has brought about many violations of late.”
Moreover, it was stated that no one wearing any BCCI or IPL merchandise can film videos at the venue, particularly within the Players and Match Officials zone.
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The Intruders
However, the biggest threat is the issue of unauthorized guests in team hotels. In one instance, a player was discovered having invited guests to his hotel room till late at night. In another instance, a player came back to his hotel way past midnight along with friends after he ignored all attempts to contact him by team officials. These incidents triggered immediate scrutiny from the ACU.
These incidents have prompted the ACU to take instant action. As per new instructions issued to franchises, players have been asked to seek permission before inviting any visitors to their team hotel rooms. Socializing with relatives and friends is now allowed only in public places like the hotel lobby and several franchises have a cut-off time of 10 pm for such social activities.
Focus on Senior Players and State Leagues
It should also be mentioned that another problem faced by the BCCI is associated with top players taking advantage of their status and thus violating various regulations. As was reported before, former team managers had expressed concerns regarding some top cricketers who ignored orders, informing authorities that “they will handle the BCCI”. This behavior serves as an inappropriate model for other cricketers joining the league.
At the same time, the ACU has expanded its monitoring of other T20 competitions managed by state governments. Representatives are now being deployed in hotels where teams stay while playing in domestic leagues. The same restrictions are applied to players, such as prohibitions on having visitors. According to BCCI officials, this step is crucial because many young cricketers progress through state leagues to the IPL.
As for social media personalities recruited by franchises, this sphere is also being analyzed. In particular, the BCCI does not like the fact that franchises receive unrestricted access to training sessions and spaces used by players. Many franchises have already started downsizing their social media staff.
