With the IPL just two weeks away, the BCCI has issued a comprehensive set of guidelines to all ten franchises to streamline practice sessions and protect pitch conditions for the upcoming tournament.

Key Highlights of the New Guidelines:

• Exclusive Practice Areas: Teams cannot share the same practice pitch. For instance, if Sunrisers Hyderabad uses a specific pitch at Eden Gardens, KKR cannot use it for net sessions or throw-downs, including range-hitting zones.
• Practice Matches: Franchises can play a maximum of two practice matches with BCCI permission, but strictly on side pitches, not the main match wicket. Night practice matches must conclude within 3.5 hours.
• Scheduling: The ‘Home’ team will determine the training schedule for the ‘Away’ team, while considering the visitors’ previous match schedule and specific requests.
• Infrastructure Access: State cricket associations must provide additional practice grounds to franchises without any extra cost.
• Conflict Resolution: If two teams wish to practice simultaneously, they can do so on adjacent nets with the mutual consent of their respective managers; otherwise, the Board will dictate the schedule.

These measures aim to give curators adequate time to prepare world-class wickets. Effective March 16, teams will have access to two nets in the practice area and one for range hitting in the main square.