IPL 2026: Captains warned over ‘Incomplete’ catches; Impact Player Rule to continue

Ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season, team captains have been issued a strict reminder regarding the rules surrounding catches, particularly focusing on fielder control before celebrating a dismissal. Very often we see players celebrating the catches before even having the ball in their hands after completing the catch, and now the board is contemplating solving the issue.

During a meeting conducted by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Wednesday, captains and team representatives were shown multiple video examples highlighting instances of “incomplete” catches. Officials emphasised that a catch will only be considered valid once the fielder has complete control over both the ball and their body movement.

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, as reported by Cricbuzz.

While the rule itself is not new, the governing body has made it clear that its enforcement will be significantly stricter this season. Match officials, including Javagal Srinath and Nitin Menon, addressed this aspect in detail during the 90-minute session, underlining the importance of body balance and control in completing a fair catch.

In addition to the catching regulations, captains were also informed that the much-debated Impact Player rule will remain in place for the foreseeable future. Despite ongoing discussions and criticism from certain players, the BCCI confirmed that there will be no immediate review of the rule.

One of the most vocal critics has been Axar Patel, who recently expressed his concerns over its impact on all-rounders.

“I don’t like this rule, honestly, because I am an all-rounder. Earlier, you would pick an allrounder for batting and bowling. Because of this rule, the team management goes for a particular batsman or bowler, thinking ‘Why do we need an allrounder?’,” Axar had said.

The general sentiment among several stakeholders is that the rule hampers the growth of genuine all-rounders in the format. However, BCCI officials have indicated that any reconsideration of the rule will only take place after the 2027 season.

“It was discussed, and it was made clear to all of us that the Impact Player rule is here to stay for at least two more seasons,” a franchise member who attended the meeting revealed. 

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