Star Power Drives Change: Kohli and Rohit’s Domestic Appearances Force BCCI to Revamp Broadcast Policy
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is set to significantly increase the number of televised domestic matches following an unprecedented surge in fan demand, directly attributed to the participation of IPL icons like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. A recent BCCI mandate requiring centrally contracted players to feature in domestic tournaments when available has fundamentally changed the visibility of competitions like the Ranji Trophy and Vijay Hazare Trophy (VHT).
The presence of Royal Challengers Bangalore legend Kohli playing for Delhi and Mumbai Indians stalwart Rohit Sharma playing for Mumbai drew packed stadiums and flooded the BCCI with queries regarding live coverage. BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia confirmed that the current contract, which limits telecasting to 100 domestic matches per season, is insufficient to meet this demand.
This policy change not only addresses fan frustration but also serves a crucial developmental purpose. Saikia noted that having veterans share the dressing room with aspiring cricketers provides invaluable mentorship, strengthening the grassroots level of Indian cricket by leveraging the star power generated by the IPL.
This analysis was generated by Third Umpire using official IPL statistics and live match data.
Learn how this works →
“That’s the biggest change that we have seen, that international cricketers are regularly playing domestic cricket. Earlier, I never got calls saying, ‘Why is this match not shown live?’... we are definitely going to increase the number [of televised matches].”
Devajit Saikia, BCCI Secretary
- Player
- Virat Kohli
- Specialization
- Batter
- Analyze
- Analyze Performance
Related Statistics
IPL Career Most Innings Played | Player Rankings
Batting specialists with most batting innings in IPL Career (batters/all-rounders/wicketkeepers only)
| Select | Rank | Player | Team | innings-played |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Royal Challengers Bangalore | 259 innings |
Select 2 or more players using the checkboxes to compare their statistics side-by-side
Explore More Statistics
Keep exploring stats tailored to Virat Kohli and RCB.
More on Virat Kohli
RCB Star Romario Shepherd Claims Historic T20 World Cup Hat-Trick
The Windies scored 182/5 on the back of Shimron Hetmyer's 36-ball 64... Romario Shepherd bagging a hat-trick. He finished with career-best figures of 5/20 in three overs.
Conditional Clearance Granted for RCB's Return to M. Chinnaswamy Stadium for IPL 2026
The IPL matches are approaching. KSCA President Venkatesh Prasad, spokesperson Vinay and RCB representatives met me. They asked me for permission, and we have given conditional permission.
RCB Youngster Jacob Bethell Blasts 65 off 35 on T20 World Cup Debut to Anchor England's Win
Bethell, who also was making his T20 World Cup, scored 65 runs in 35 balls, which included four fours and as many sixes.
“That’s the biggest change that we have seen, that international cricketers are regularly playing domestic cricket. Earlier, I never got calls saying, ‘Why is this match not shown live?’... we are definitely going to increase the number [of televised matches].”
Devajit Saikia, BCCI Secretary
- Player
- Virat Kohli
- Specialization
- Batter
- Analyze
- Analyze Performance