The Board of Control for Cricket in India has tightened its monitoring of player movement and off-field activities during Indian Premier League following multiple incidents that reportedly triggered concerns within the Board’s Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU).
According to a recent report by PTI, IPL franchises were issued a detailed advisory after the ACU observed repeated breaches of operational and security protocols during the ongoing season. The concerns reportedly ranged from players travelling without prior security clearance to content creators being granted access to sensitive areas around teams and training venues.
One incident that particularly caught the attention of the ACU involved a young cricketer who allegedly sought help from members of a franchise’s social media team to create content for his personal platforms. While collaborations between players and digital teams have become common in the IPL ecosystem, the issue escalated after visuals from inside training sessions and restricted playing areas surfaced on the content creator’s private social media handles.
As per the report, BCCI officials grew increasingly concerned over unrestricted access to players and support staff, especially by temporary personnel hired exclusively for the IPL season.
In response, several franchises have reportedly started reviewing their internal systems and reducing the size of their content teams, particularly short-term hires brought in for digital coverage during the tournament.
The advisory also warned teams about the risk of potential “honey traps” and stressed the importance of stricter monitoring of outsiders entering team environments.
Apart from digital content concerns, the BCCI also raised objections regarding unauthorised guests visiting players at team hotels. In one reported instance, a player was allegedly found hosting visitors in his hotel room late into the night on multiple occasions. When questioned by the ACU, the franchise management reportedly downplayed the issue, citing the player’s seniority within the squad.
“I am not surprised,” a former IPL team manager told PTI. “At times, players use their stature within the team to bend the rules. Once I told a player to host his friends in the lobby restaurant and not inside his room because of board instructions. He simply replied, ‘You don’t worry. I will tell the board officials if they ask.’”
Former IPL officials also admitted that maintaining discipline uniformly across squads becomes difficult when dealing with senior or high-profile cricketers. In another reported case, a player allegedly failed to respond to repeated calls and messages from team officials before returning to the hotel late at night with friends. According to sources familiar with the matter, no major disciplinary action followed because the player reportedly shared a close relationship with the franchise owners.
