Virat Kohli and Rajeev Shukla [Source: AP and AFP Photos]The Board of Control for Cricket in India has been imposing multiple strict measures regarding players' casual behaviour, and in the latest development, the BCCI Anti-Corruption Unit has now taken action against an IPL star for breaking the mandates. As IPL 2026 is officially in the second leg of its tenure, a recent report has alleged that a popular player often hosts a few people in his room late into the night. The BCCI’s ACU stepped into prompt action in this matter to confront the action. BCCI Rule Restricts Players From Hosting Guests In Hotel Room As per the recent rule from the cricket board, players and support staff should not allow visitors into their private hotel rooms without prior written approval from the team manager. This protocol, driven by the Anti-Corruption Unit, has been mandated because of honey-trapping and the legal liability of the players, where all guests should be received only in designated public areas, like the lobby. Also Read- Pakistan T20 Squad For Zimbabwe 2026 AnnouncedACU Investigates Late Night Visit However, as per recent reports, an unnamed IPL star was found inviting and hosting guests in his room late at night. The ACU immediately summoned the team manager to enquire about the meetings, but the reply was not satisfactory. Notably, the player who was found entertaining guests at night was confronted, but a former official cited that using a player's seniority in the team's ranks is quite frequent for defence. "I am not surprised. At times, the players use their stature within the team to bend the rules. Once I told a player to host his friends in the lobby restaurant, not in his room," a former official said. Managers Confess to Players Bending IPL Rules For Convenience Another IPL team manager, who worked for a long time with a franchise, also admitted to such unpleasant behaviour by senior players, who tried to bend the BCCI rules to their convenience. "I told him there are some board instructions on such matters. He just snapped: 'You don't worry. I will tell the board (officials) if they ask'," said a former official, who worked for a long time in the IPL as a team manager. Reportedly, in another instance, a player was found walking into the hotel quite late at night with a group of friends. However, that incident was swept under the carpet because the player was close to the franchise owners."I agree that sometimes rules are not followed in letter and spirit, or sometimes some exemptions will be given to the players. Now, we are looking to put in place constant checks on the players. "But we should also ensure that it's not an intrusion into their privacy. We will also be in talks with the BCCI as to how to implement this particular rule without any issue," the official said. Board Fails To Put Constraints On Players While strict measures continue to be imposed, it remains a serious concern that players are still not fully compliant with the BCCI-mandated rules. In fact, during the earlier imposition of the ‘no-travel-with-girlfriends-or-wives-on-team-bus’ rule, Hardik Pandya was occasionally seen travelling with his girlfriend Mahieka Sharma on team buses for Mumbai Indians games. If players and staff fail to abide by these regulations, the BCCI might take action against them for non-compliance as a serious disciplinary matter. Players can receive show-cause notices or even face heavy financial penalties or suspensions from matches for failing to abide by the law. In cases of honey-trapping, legal action will be taken, with police involvement and legal referral possibly needed. Riyan Parag Becomes The Only Example Nevertheless, one example of this breach of rules was Riyan Parag, who was fined 25% of his match fee and was also handed one demerit point for vaping in the dressing room during a Rajasthan Royals match. This showcased the BCCI's zero-tolerance approach, and similar action might be taken again if more players are reported to have broken the hotel room rules, even after the implementation of the honey-trapping restrictions.Also Read- Why IPL Viewership Drastically Dropped In 2026? Key Reasons Decoded
