IPL eligibility rule changed: BCCI makes first-class cricket mandatory for U16s

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has implemented a key eligibility criterion for the Indian Premier League (IPL). Going forward, each under-16 cricketer aspiring to play in the IPL will need to play in at least one first-class match. This was decided upon at the conclusion of the BCCI’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) on September 28.

What is the reason for the rule?

Over the years, the IPL has produced a stream of teenage prodigies making headlines, and in some cases, even before they turned 16. Vaibhav Suryavanshi became the youngest signing in the IPL at 13 years and 243 days for the Rajasthan Royals during IPL 2025 was evidenced of young cricketers being fast-tracked into the league.

But with prolific underage players, there have been increased concerns about whether these youngsters have reached a level of preparedness for the demands of playing at the elite level. By making first-class cricket an eligibility requirement, the BCCI hopes that young candidates will have met a minimum exposure level in the domestic circuit before playing in the IPL.

What Has Changed?

In the past, there were no restrictions on age or experience to be eligible to play in the IPL. Franchises could scout, trial, and sign teenage players regardless of the mechanism by which they acquired players, be it auctions or replacements.

Now, per the new rules:

• - A player below the age of 16 must have played at least one match in first-class cricket.
• - If they haven’t played a first-class match, they can’t be selected in auctions or as replacements.

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Reactions from Fans and Experts

This decision has been mostly well received by both cricket experts and fans, who believe it provides a good balance between providing opportunities for promising young cricketers and ensuring the competitive nature of the IPL remains same.

Many social media users described this decision to exclude very young cricketers from IPL as “a step toward maintaining quality” and noted that it would protect very young cricketers from the commercial and performance pressures of the IPL.

Distinguished Young Players from Recent IPL Seasons

• Vaibhav Suryavanshi – At age 13, signed by the Rajasthan Royals in 2025.
• Ayush Mhatre, Andre Siddharth, Musheer Khan, Swastik Chikara, Kwena Mphaka (South Africa) – All selected in 2025.
• Allah Ghazanfar (Afghanistan) – Signed by KKR in the 2024 season at 15 years and 161 days.
• Prayas Ray Barman – Featured for RCB in 2019 at 16 years of age.

These examples illustrate that franchises were willing to sign teenagers when they had often never played a first-class match before signing.

What This Means for the Future

The new ruling essentially shuts the door on under 16-year-olds, who may have aspired to follow in the footsteps of young players such as Vaibhav Suryavanshi. Instead, players at newer age levels from U-16 and U-19 will need to gain recognition in the domestic red-ball circuit before being able to hope for consideration in the IPL.

This won't stop the process of younger players progressing earlier, but it has been determined by the BCCI that younger players who might progress have more time to develop maturity and potential and build a better pathway to the IPL starting from a local community level.