"Bring a bonus point…"- Aakash Chopra suggests five changes for IPL 2026

Aakash Chopra said that teams should get a bonus point for huge victories.

Reputed cricket commentator Aakash Chopra has suggested five changes that should be there in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026. The former India opener has backed a bonus point rule for teams in the next edition.

Over the years, IPL has seen the addition of many rules by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Some of these rules were also implemented by the International Cricket Council (ICC) in international cricket, while a few were tested by the Indian body.

For instance, the BCCI had lifted the saliva ban in the last season. The governing body also introduced the “second new ball” rule for evening matches to counter the impact of dew. The on-field umpires can introduce a second slightly older ball after the 11th over of the second innings if the original ball becomes wet. In IPL 2023, the DRS system was allowed for no balls and wide balls.

Aakash Chopra suggests five rule changes for IPL 2026

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Chopra advocated for a bonus point rule for IPL 2026. He also said that BCCI should implement the substitute rule for serious injuries in IPL.

“Bring a bonus point. There is a lot of focus on net run rate currently. I feel it does not bring that much thrill on a day-to-day basis. The simple funda is to give a bonus point if you play 20 percent better than the opposing team. If you score 200 runs, stop the opposition for less than 160. If you are chasing 200, do it in 16 overs, which means you played 20 percent fewer overs,” he said

“You get a like-for-like concussion substitute. Why not do it for a serious injury as well? The BCCI is already doing that in first-class cricket. Similarly, a replacement for a serious injury, let’s do that in the IPL because we are the path setters,” he added.

Another rule Chopra insisted on was the mid-season transfer rule for players who do not play the first eight games. He also wants BCCI to amend the rule for a leg side wide.

“It exists, but it is never exercised. That is mid-season transfer. If you haven’t put a player’s name in your 16-player list, including the sub options, in the first eight matches, make him automatically available,” he said.

“My fourth suggestion is about the leg-side wide. If you have watched attentively, there is a line far away from the stumps and another close to them. Can that line be kept as the wide mark? The ball should be a wide on the leg side only if it goes outside that,” he said.

Chopra’s fifth suggestion is to implement a Power Surge rule like in the Big Bash League (BBL) in the IPL, which will allow batting teams to take two overs of powerplay anytime. He said that teams can utilise the rule to grab bigger victories.

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