The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has tightened its grip on discipline during IPL 2026 after issuing a detailed seven-page advisory to all franchises regarding repeated breaches of protocol by players and team officials. The notice, circulated on May 8, highlighted concerns over players allowing unauthorised visitors into hotels, leaving team premises at unusual hours, and violating Players and Match Officials Areas (PMOA) regulations.
One of the biggest concerns flagged by the board was vaping, which remains banned in India. Punjab Kings (PBKS) spinner Yuzvendra Chahal and pacer Arshdeep Singh came under scrutiny after an e-cigarette was allegedly seen during one of Arshdeep’s recent vlog uploads. The left-arm fast bowler, who has built a massive online following with millions of followers across Instagram, Snapchat, and YouTube, has regularly posted behind-the-scenes IPL content online.
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PBKS to brief players on fresh BCCI directives
Despite reports suggesting that the BCCI had directly warned Arshdeep against creating content during the IPL season, a Cricbuzz report clarified that no individual ban had been imposed. Instead, PBKS are set to conduct an official meeting with players and support staff to explain the newly introduced regulations.
As per the BCCI’s directive, team managers and authorised franchise officials will be held jointly responsible for ensuring complete compliance with the advisory. Franchises have also been instructed to conduct mandatory briefings within 48 hours and collect written acknowledgements from all players and staff confirming they understand the rules.
PBKS are expected to complete the process on May 9 after practice at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala. While one of the franchise co-owners — Mohit Burman, Ness Wadia, Preity Zinta, or Karan Paul — was initially expected to attend the meeting, PBKS CEO Satish Menon will now address the squad after sudden travel disruptions reportedly altered the original plans.
