BCCI bans match-day practice in updated IPL guidelines

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has issued an addendum with a new set of instructions, including a directive that no practice sessions will be permitted on match days, in addition to guidelines on practice schedules that Cricbuzz had exclusively reported on March 12. The BCCI has also made a separate arrangement at the Wankhede stadium in Mumbai, where two practice wickets each - on either side of the main square - will be allotted to the teams. As previously reported, no team will be allowed to use the practice wicket assigned to the opposition. The following are some additional guidelines that the BCCI recently sent to team managers: 1. For range hitting, teams will have access to two nets in the practice area and one of the side wickets on the main square. Each team will receive two wickets at the Mumbai venue if they practice simultaneously. 2. No open nets will be allowed. 3. The other team cannot use the wickets for their practice if one of the teams finishes earlier. 4. On Match days, no practice will be permitted. On match days, teams are not permitted to conduct fitness tests on the main square, as has become the norm in recent years. On practice days, players must also take the team bus to the stadium and travel alone from their families. Friends and family can travel to the venue separately.