The IPL will continue with its ball-change provision in the 2026 season, retaining the rule that allows the team bowling second in an evening match to ask for one replacement ball after the completion of the 10th over of the second innings. The request can be made only by the bowling captain, only at the end of an over, and the replacement ball must be one with comparable wear and tear. The bowling side does not get to choose the ball; the final decision remains with the umpires.
The rule itself is not new for IPL 2026. It was first introduced ahead of IPL 2025 after the captains’ meeting, when the IPL formally confirmed that the bowling side in the second innings of an evening game would be allowed one ball change after the 10th over. That announcement also made clear that the replacement would not be a new ball, but one showing similar wear to the ball being taken out of play.
Ball-change rule remains the key playing-condition talking point
What has brought the rule back into focus before IPL 2026 is the latest wording in the playing conditions circulated to franchises. Rule 4.4 has been among the sections highlighted ahead of the new season, with the provision again underlining that the request is limited to one in the second innings of an evening match and cannot be made during an over. The structure of the rule remains clear: the bowling captain makes the request, the umpires approve and execute it, and the replacement comes from the officials rather than the fielding team.
The larger framework around the rule had already been established when it was brought in before the 2025 season. The umpires were given the authority to replace the ball on request after the 10th over, while also retaining the power to change it independently earlier in the innings if it became excessively wet, damaged, lost or out of shape. That broader authority remains important because it separates the standard one-request option available to the bowling side from any separate ball change the umpires may decide is necessary during the course of play.
The latest discussion around the playing conditions has also put a few other rules in brief view. Among the clauses flagged are those relating to bat checks, deliberate short runs, a fielder making contact with the area beyond the boundary, restrictions on fielder placement, and the combining of umpire review with player review. But among all the rule references ahead of the season, the ball-change provision remains the most prominent and clearly defined point.
For IPL 2026, the rule position is straightforward. In an evening match, the side bowling second will have one opportunity to seek a replacement ball after 10 overs of the chase. The request must come at the end of an over, the replacement must have similar wear and tear, and the final call on that replacement will stay entirely with the umpires.
