IPL 2026: BCCI Defines Catching Rules In Captains' Meet; Impact Players Rule Stays Despite Rising Criticism

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has introduced a slew of changes for the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League to make it more transparent and fair for all the teams.

One of the rules, which was emphasized during the IPL captain's meeting on Wednesday, was related to the movement during catching, educating the captains regarding the legality of the catch.

A catch will only be considered legal if the fielder taking it is in complete control of the ball and his body before engaging in any celebrations. As per Clause 33.3 of the playing conditions, “The act of making a catch shall start from the time when the ball first comes into contact with a fielder's person and shall end when a fielder obtains complete control over both the ball and his own movement."

The present captains were explained the rule clearly with examples of video clips, where catches were considered illegal because of a lack of control.

While the rule was always there, it was made clear by former Indian pacer Javagal Srinath and ICC umpire Nitin Menon that it will be strictly followed from this season onwards.

Impact Player Rule Stays Despite Criticism

Another highlight of the captains' meet was the decision related to the Impact Player rule, which has been under the scanner after some players criticised its effect on all-rounder in the game. However, the BCCI and the IPL officials made it clear that the impact player is going nowhere until the 2027 season atleast with no plans of reviewing it in the near future.

There's a growing concern in the cricketing community that the Impact Rule poses a threat to the existence of all-rounders in cricket, as teams tend to prefer specialists over them.

Delhi Capitals' captain Axar Patel was the first prominent star to express his dislike of the rule.

While speaking in an interview, Patel said, "I don’t like this rule, honestly, because I am an all-rounder. Earlier, you would pick an all-rounder for both batting and bowling. Because of this rule, teams now prefer specialists."

Apart from the players and the BCCI, a franchise representative was also present, who confirmed that the Impact Player rule will remain in place in the IPL for at least two seasons.