BCCI Plans Crackdown on ‘Girlfriend Culture’ in IPL, Strict Rules Incoming

The Board of Control for Cricket in India has raised alarm regarding what it describes as the ‘girlfriend culture’ within the IPL. According to multiple reports, the BCCI is mulling a crackdown on players who are often accompanied by their partners by enforcing new rules.

IPL 2026 has already been marked by a few controversies, two of which involved Rajasthan Royals. First, RR team manager Romi Bhinder was reprimanded by the BCCI for using a mobile phone in the dugout during a match. Second, RR skipper Riyan Parag was fined for vaping inside the dressing room.

This time, however, a new league-wide controversy is emerging, with officials having reportedly raised concerns over players’ girlfriends consistently accompanying them during matches and other related activities.

In what has been described as ‘girlfriend culture’, the officials brought up the matter with the BCCI’s Anti-Corruption and Security Unit. Players like Hardik Pandya, Arshdeep Singh, Ishan Kishan and Yashasvi Jaiswal have come under the scanner after being spotted with their girlfriends on several occasions. Many of them even travel with their partners as well as stay together in the same hotel room.

Hardik Pandya has support in the stands as Maheika Sharma attends the game at Wankhede Stadium with his son😍

📸: JioHotstar#IPL2026 #MIvsSRH #MahiekaSharma #HardikPandya #CricketTwitter pic.twitter.com/7VkNd7q4Fr

— InsideSport (@InsideSportIND) April 29, 2026

Although girlfriends were historically not permitted to stay with IPL players, this has occurred due to the absence of a clear formal policy. Officials have expressed concern that the presence of girlfriends in team hotels and buses is creating a distraction and causing delays in practice sessions, meetings, and travel. Furthermore, since most of these partners are social media influencers, there is anxiety over the potential leakage of team information, strategies, and internal matters.

Another major point of contention is that some of these social media figures have previously promoted betting or gambling platforms, raising alarm about the potential revival of such activities within the league. Thereafter, the board is contemplating stricter regulations to maintain a professional environment, with discussions expected soon.

A total ban on players staying with their girlfriends at all times could be imposed, with the rules expected to mirror those for the Indian national team.

🚨 THE BCCI TO TAKE STRICT ACTIONS AGAINST GIRLFRIEND CULTURE GOING IN THE IPL. 🚨

1️⃣ BCCI preparing to enforce strict rule on Girlfriend culture. 👫

2️⃣ BCCI wants to be careful before any major blunder happens. ‼️

3️⃣ Some of the players are even staying at the team’s hotel…

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) May 4, 2026

The BCCI already has a ‘No-Family’ policy for Indian players during shorter ICC tournaments, since early 2025. However, implementing these rules may prove challenging due to the IPL’s structure of privately owned franchises, which complicates constant monitoring of players.

Gujarat Titans’ victory over Punjab Kings intensifies IPL 2026 play-offs scramble

The IPL 2026 play-offs race has heated up, following Gujarat Titans’ four-wicket win over table-toppers Punjab Kings, on Sunday at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Four teams are now level on 12 points in the standings and are eyeing a spot among the top four.

The GT bowlers reduced PBKS to 47/5 in the 9th over. Late contributions from Suryansh Shedge (57 off 29) and Marcus Stoinis (40 off 31) allowed the visitors to post a competitive first-innings total of 163/9. For the home side, Jason Holder picked up a four-wicket haul. The chase, while it seemed an easy one, went down to the final over, with Washington Sundar’s 40 runs off 23 balls making the difference. 

Holder and Washington star in Gujarat Titans' nervy last-over win

https://t.co/QqyWP6iHJE

— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) May 3, 2026

Not only did it mark the second time this summer that Punjab Kings suffered a defeat in the IPL, but it also meant that the play-offs race has officially begun. RCB (six wins out of nine), SRH (six out of ten), RR (six out of ten), and GT (six out of ten) are level on points. CSK and DC are just behind these four teams, having won four out of the nine matches played, with eight points in hand. 

The final qualifying teams remain uncertain, with exciting matches scheduled over the next few days. Tomorrow, DC will host CSK at Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium, and the day after, SRH will play PBKS at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Hyderabad.

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