New Ball Change Rule in IPL 2026: All You Need to Know

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 is less than a week away and the preparations are in full flow. The richest cricket league in the world is all set to begin on March 28 and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has come up with new rules.

One of the biggest regulations that will be in place in this season of Indian Premier League is the new ball change rule. As per the new guidelines, captains bowling second can now request a change of ball in the second half of the innings, and also some other factors will be involved.

BCCI Introduces New Ball Change Rule in IPL 2026

As per the IPL ball change rule, if the ball gets lost after a batter hits a six or is unfit to play through normal use, the umpires will have the authority to change it. The changed ball, however, should be in the same condition which the previous ball had received before the need for its replacement.

After the change of the ball, it will be mandatory for umpires to inform the batter and the fielding captain. One of the biggest uses of this new rule will be beneficial to teams bowling second. The fielding captain can ask for a ball change after the completion of the 10th over.

The condition, however, will apply only once during the 2nd innings of the evening games irrespective of whether there is dew or no dew on the outfield.

The captains can request the ball change only after the end of an over and not during an over.

In this case, the umpires will have to change the ball with another ball, which will be in a similar condition to that of the old ball. Further, the umpires can also change the ball at their discretion at any time during the match. The new IPL 2026 rules by BCCI have come as a big change. But it is a required one given how the dew have affected the matches over the years.

Impact Player Rule To Be Continued in IPL 2026

Amid the criticism, the Impact player rule will be continued in the IPL 2026. This allows the team an added advantage and field an extra batter or bowler. The rule, however, might not be in effect when the new three-year cycle starts in 2027.

Recently, Axar Patel, one of the best all-rounders in IPL, openly stated that he doesn’t like this rule. Previously, renowned players like Rohit Sharma, Mohammed Shami and Virat Kohli also stated that it reduces the importance of all-rounders and asked for the rule to be discontinued.

Coming to IPL 2026, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) will be taking on Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the tournament opener. The match will be played at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, which will also mark the return to the game on this ground.