BCCI bans shared nets and tightens pitch rules ahead of IPL 2026
With the IPL 2026 season set to begin on March 28, the BCCI has rolled out a fresh set of practice and pitch guidelines aimed at keeping playing surfaces in better condition across the tournament.
The biggest change: teams can no longer train on the same practice pitch used by their opponents. Fresh nets must be prepared for every side during their allocated session. Even if two teams are practising back-to-back or at the same time, they cannot share wickets, and a team finishing early is not allowed to move onto the other side's range-hitting strip.
Main square off limits before openers
No practice sessions or matches will be permitted on the main square for four days before a franchise's first home game of the season. State associations have been told to provide an alternative practice ground free of charge if the home team requests one during that window.
Teams will be allotted two nets in their designated practice area and one side wicket on the main square for range hitting. At venues like Mumbai, where both teams may practise simultaneously, each side gets two wickets. Open nets have been banned entirely.
Range hitting and practice matches
Dedicated wickets for range hitting, bowling run-throughs, throwdowns, and other drills will be prepared at the edges of the main square. The home team gets first pick of range-hitting wickets during the opening 90 minutes of practice.
If a team wants to hold a practice match under lights, they need BCCI approval. The session cannot last longer than three and a half hours, must take place on side wickets, and each team is capped at two practice matches before the tournament starts. No practice sessions or fitness tests will be allowed on the main square on match days.
Why now
The new rules build on reforms the BCCI introduced in 2025, when teams were capped at seven practice sessions before their opening game. IPL venues typically host a full domestic season before the franchise tournament begins, and pitch deterioration has been a recurring concern. Last season, several surfaces drew criticism for being worn and inconsistent by the knockout stages.
The 2026 season opens with defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru hosting Sunrisers Hyderabad at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on March 28, with the final scheduled for May 31 at the same venue. The full schedule for the first 20 matches has been released, with the remainder expected once ongoing state elections are resolved.
