IPL 2025: BCCI issues new replacement rules, special clause for wicketkeepers included(Photo Source - BCCI)

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has introduced new replacement rules for the Indian Premier League () to bring clarity for player substitutions. The updated regulations allow franchises to sign temporary replacements under specific circumstances, with a particular focus on wicketkeepers and season-ending injuries.

A franchise cannot generally sign a player for just a few matches and then release him. However, the BCCI has created an exception for wicketkeepers. If all the wicketkeepers in a team’s registered squad are unavailable for a match, the franchise can request a short-term replacement.

The BCCI will look into the situation and, if approved, allow a temporary wicketkeeper until at least one of the original squad members is fit to play again. However, the provision comes with a restriction, if the unavailable wicketkeeper is an overseas player and the franchise has already filled its quota of eight foreign players, the replacement must be an Indian cricketer.

According to clause 6.1, Replacement Players will not be allowed to cover the partial unavailability of a Player during the Season unless either one of the following circumstances applies:

(a) Where all the wicket keepers in a Franchisee's Registered Squad are unavailable for a Match then such franchisee should ask BCCI for a special exemption. In such circumstances, BCCI would look favourably on a request to allow one short-term replacement wicketkeeper from outside such Franchisee's Registered Squad to be brought into its Registered Squad until any one of the specialist wicketkeepers in that Registered Squad becomes available to play at which point such short-term replacement wicketkeeper may no longer play for the relevant Franchisee.

"In such circumstances, the franchisee shall immediately inform the BCCI upon any of its specialist wicketkeepers becoming eligible to play after any such period of unavailability. If one of the unavailable wicket keepers in a franchisee's Registered Squad is an Overseas player and that Franchisee has its full quota of 8 Overseas players, the Replacement Player may not be an Overseas player," read the regulation as quoted by Cricbuzz.

(b) A player who suffers a season-ending injury or illness may be replaced even if he has already played in a League Match during that Season if all of the following criteria are met:

The said injury or illness occurs during or before the 12th League Match of the relevant Team in the Season;

A doctor nominated by the BCCI confirms that the injury or illness is season ending (i.e. it means the Player will not be match fit until after the end of the Season (including the Playoffs);

absent the injury or illness, the Player would have been available for all of the remaining Matches in the Season; and

as a result of the injury or illness, the Player would miss the remaining League Matches in that Season.

• NB: In such circumstances, the Player who is replaced may not play for the Franchisee again in any Match during the relevant Season.

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A new system called the Registered Available Player Pool (RAPP) has been introduced. Franchises can only sign replacement players from this pool, which consists of players who went unsold in the IPL auction and had not withdrawn from the process. A replacement player’s fee cannot exceed that of the player he is replacing. The replacement’s salary will not count toward the team’s salary cap, but if the contract is beyond the season, it will be included in the next year’s cap. Additionally, teams must get the board's approval before signing any replacement players.