Good news for IPL 2025 franchises as BCCI reportedly makes provision for ‘exceptional circumstances’: Check details

After the commencement of the Champions Trophy 2025, the focus shifts to Indian Premier League, the 18th edition of which is set to kick-off from March 22 with defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) taking on Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the tournament opener at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.

Before the world's biggest T20 league starts, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has brought in a special provision under ‘exceptional circumstances’, which would allow a team to make partial replacements in the squad, according to a Cricbuzz report.

The development comes after after certain franchises are set to miss some of their key players for the initial part of the IPL 2025 due to injuries. Among the few injured names, are Mumbai Indians pacer Jasprit Bumrah and Rajasthan Royals skipper Sanju Samson.

The report claimed that the franchises can pick players from RAPP (Registered Available Player Pool) only. If excercised, this will be the first time ever in IPL, that such provision will be used.

How will BCCI's special provision work?

However, the special provision pertains to wicketkeepers which stated that, “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," it added.

Other replacement clauses

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."