KKR Raises Concerns On IPL Time Rule To BCCI

In a major step forward from IPL 2025, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have officially written to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) over their concern that a mid-season rule change has impacted the integrity of the tournament. After the BCCI announced the addition of 120 minutes of extra time to the match duration

KKR's concern is over the BCCI’s recent change to the rule, which formally allowed the introduction of a second ball to be used in the second innings of matches. There was a positive outcry over the introduction of a new ball which would allow a fair contest between bat and ball due to dew. However, KKR believe it was an unintentional issue upon the fact that this rule was brought into effect without proper consultation with the franchises and resulted in unintentionally making it challenging for the teams.

KKR’s CEO, Venky Mysore mentioned that the timing of the rule has an impact on the manner in which franchises strategise and prepare. Mysore argued that with the new two-hour buffer, there might have been enough time to hold at least a five-over-per-side game, which could have kept KKR's playoff hopes alive.KKR would like to see the BCCI consult with franchises properly and in a timely manner when introducing any significant rule change so that teams have proper time to change their team plans accordingly.

BCCI decision to alter the rules half way through the season has also raised further debate among other IPL teams. KKR accepts that some teams have rolled with this new rule change, but some teams including KKR hold that it raises issues of equal sharing of a plan.