• Home
  • Cricket News
  • Bcci Introduces New Eligibility Rule Junior Cricketers Must Play First Class Before Ipl

BCCI introduces new eligibility rule; Junior cricketers must play First-Class before IPL

Rajgeeta Yadav

Indian Premier League [Source: IPL/X.com]Indian Premier League [Source: IPL/X.com]

The BCCI has introduced a new rule for young players who want to play in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Under this rule, Under-19 and Under-16 players must have played at least one First-Class (FC) match, such as in the Ranji Trophy, before they are eligible to play in the IPL. 

This means that an young players cannot directly enter the IPL; they first need to represent their state team in at least one FC game, as revealed by Cricbuzz.

Minimum domestic experience now mandatory for Young players

Before this change, there were no age limits or strict experience requirements in the IPL. Teams could pick young players either through auctions, trials, or as mid-season replacements, regardless of their domestic cricket experience. 

The new rule ensures that even the youngest players have some experience in professional cricket before competing at the highest level.

A case in point is Rajasthan Royals' Vaibhav Suryavanshi, who gained attention in IPL 2025. Some thought he had never played First-Class cricket, but he actually made his debut for Bihar in January 2024 against Mumbai in Patna. 

Notably, Vaibhav was just 13 years and 243 days old when Rajasthan Royals bought him for Rs 1.10 crore, making him the youngest player to ever join the IPL. 

So far, he has played five FC matches and scored 100 runs with a strike rate of 63.29, showing he already had professional experience before stepping into the IPL spotlight.

In another update, the BCCI has also announced that players who participate in more domestic matches in a season will earn higher payments. This new system is designed to reward players for consistent participation and will also encourage teams to compete seriously in domestic tournaments.