Mumbai: The much-anticipated IPL 2025 kicks off on March 22 with defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) taking on Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). Ahead of the tournament, a report has revealed that the BCCI has introduced a new provision allowing partial squad replacements under “exceptional circumstances.”
Special Wicketkeeper Replacement Rule
For the first time, franchises can seek a short-term replacement wicketkeeper if all their registered wicketkeepers are unavailable. The replacement can only be chosen from the Registered Available Player Pool (RAPP) and must be removed once a specialist keeper from the squad returns. Additionally, if a franchise has already filled its 8 overseas player quota, the replacement must be an Indian player.
Injury-Based Replacements
BCCI has also outlined criteria for replacing a player suffering from a season-ending injury or illness:
- The injury must occur on or before the team’s 12th league match.
- A BCCI-appointed doctor must confirm it as a season-ending condition.
- The player must have otherwise been available for the remaining matches.
These provisions, reportedly communicated to all 10 franchises, add a new layer of flexibility while maintaining squad integrity.
