After Vaibhav Suryavanshi's Heroic Debut, BCCI Introduces Strict Rules For Young Players
Despite Vaibhav Suryavanshi's memorable debut, BCCI has introduced a new rule which might limit the entry of more teenage stars in the IPL.
- Vaibhav Suryavanshi was bought by Rajasthan Royals for Rs 1.1 crore in IPL 2025 auctions
- BCCI mandates U-16 and U-19 players to play a First-Class match to become eligible for IPL from 2026
- The motive behind this move is to make young stars polished in red-ball cricket before playing T20 leagues
IPL 2025 made headlines with the entry of 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi, who was bought by the Rajasthan Royals for Rs 1.1 crore during the mega auctions. The Bihar-born prodigy took everyone by surprise with his powerful batting performances and six-hitting ability. In a match against the Gujarat Titans, Suryavanshi hammered a brilliant 35-ball century, registering the fastest hundred by an Indian in IPL history. Despite Suryavanshi's memorable debut, the BCCI has introduced a new rule that could limit the entry of more teenage stars in future editions of the IPL.
During the BCCI's Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Sunday, it was announced-according to a Times of India report-that Under-19 and Under-16 players must play at least one First-Class match to be eligible for the IPL. This rule will be implemented ahead of the 2026 season.
This move by the BCCI aims to strengthen the domestic cricket circuit by encouraging young players to gain experience in the longer format. The Board wants U-19 and U-16 talents to focus on red-ball cricket before entering the professional T20 leagues.
The decision is also expected to increase participation in domestic tournaments like the Ranji Trophy and help players polish their skills in First-Class cricket.
In another major development, former Delhi captain Mithun Manhas was elected president of the BCCI during the AGM on Sunday.
Manhas, 45, became the 37th president of the Board, succeeding Roger Binny, who resigned last month after turning 70.
The former all-rounder, who played 157 First-Class matches, 130 List A games, and 55 IPL matches between 1997-98 and 2016-17, emerged as the consensus choice following an informal meeting of the Board's key decision-makers in New Delhi earlier this month.
Manhas boasts an impressive record of 9,714 First-Class runs, including 27 centuries, and has scored 4,126 runs in List A matches.
The AGM also confirmed a few other key appointments. BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia and IPL Governing Council chairman Arun Dhumal retained their posts, while Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) chief and former India cricketer Raghuram Bhat was elected treasurer.
(With PTI inputs)
Rajasthan Royals