The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has reportedly issued a strict directive to prepare batting-friendly pitches across venues in IPL 2026. The move has made conditions more difficult for bowlers like Jasprit Bumrah, as flatter surfaces reduce the effectiveness of bowlers and provide assistance to batters.
There was a time in the IPL when teams like Chennai Super Kings (CSK) were considered nearly unbeatable at home. The pitches often suited the strengths of the home side, and totals around 180 were usually enough to win matches. However, in IPL 2026, home advantage has reduced significantly, with scores above 220 becoming common across venues.
Key Points
- BCCI has reportedly directed curators to prepare batting-friendly pitches in IPL 2026.
- Flat surfaces and shorter boundaries are making life tougher for bowlers like Jasprit Bumrah.
- Franchises reportedly no longer control pitch preparation at home venues.
BCCI Issues Strict Batting-Friendly Pitch Directive For IPL 2026
According to a report by The Times of India, the BCCI has shared recommendations regarding pitch preparations for IPL 2026. The report stated that the guidelines ask curators to prepare surfaces offering very little help to both pacers and spinners.
The report further revealed that boundary sizes should not exceed 77 meters at any venue. Curators have also been instructed to maintain even grass coverage across the pitch to avoid dry surfaces and limit excessive seam movement or spin, with the aim of producing high-scoring matches for viewers.
According to the report, the board has appointed a central curator at every venue to monitor local curators and prevent franchise involvement in pitch preparation. It also stated that during the playoffs and final, the BCCI’s central curator panel will take full control of pitch operations at the host venue.
Franchise Officials Claim Uniform Pitch Policy Has Reduced Tactical Home Advantage In IPL
A franchise official said the new pitch policy has significantly changed team strategies across the IPL. The report added that teams can no longer depend on spin-friendly or seam-friendly home conditions to target opposition weaknesses.
“There are few teams who have stronger spin-bowling attack. They would prefer a little slower and sluggish pitches. Some teams have very potent seam attack and they prefer a little more help for the new-ball bowlers. But now every pitch is almost similar. It doesn’t matter if one team is travelling or not. The players expect similar conditions across all venues,” the source told TOI.
Another franchise source told the publication that the policy has also affected batting approaches. Batters now expect flat pitches regularly and struggle whenever bowlers receive even slight assistance from the surface.
“The batters go in with the expectation that pitch will play true and flat. But whenever there’s a little more purchase from the pitch for the bowlers, they struggle to adapt,” the source added.
There Is A Clear Mandate From The BCCI – Hemang Badani On IPL Pitch Policy
Hemang Badani confirmed that IPL franchises currently have no control over pitch preparation at their home venues. The Delhi Capitals coach said the BCCI manages the surfaces to ensure that no team receives a home advantage.
“As much as one would like to think that we are in control of the surface that we want to play on, there is a clear mandate from the BCCI that they look after the surfaces and they are the ones who ensure that there’s no local side that gets benefit out of the surfaces. So you play what is presented to you,” Badani said after Delhi Capitals’ loss to Chennai Super Kings on Tuesday.
“And yes, it’s been a bit of an up-and-down curve for us to understand what we are going to get at Delhi, which is our home. There has been a game where we scored 75. In one game 265 was chased down. Again, this was a surface which spun. Ideally, you want to have some consistency. It’s not about us. I think the whole competition is quite neutral that way,” he added.
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