In a new turn of events, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has made it compulsory for Under-19 and Under-16 players to feature in at least one first-class game so that they can be eligible to play in the IPL. The move was decided in the board's Annual General Meeting (AGM) that was conducted on Sunday. The cash-rich league has, over the years, featured numerous Under-19 players in the tourney, with the likes of Ayush Mhatre and Vaibhav Suryavanshi standing tall in IPL 2025. According to reports, the BCCI has made the decision that for an Under-19 or Under-16 cricketer to qualify to play in the IPL, he must have featured in at least one first-class match. Also Read | Sanju Samson Eyes Multiple Records in Asia Cup 2025 Final vs Pakistan Beforehand, the IPL did not put in place any age limit for players or any particular regulations that necessitated that the players must have experience in domestic cricket in advance to participate in the league. The selection was at the discretion of the franchises who could either select the players after conducting trials or through auction and mid-season acquisitions as cover-ins. Following the announcement, fans hailed the BCCI’s decision, noting that it was a good move to allow youngsters to take part in the IPL only after they have had bare minimum experience in domestic cricket. Netizens claimed that the move will ensure quality and readiness at the highest level is maintained. Rajasthan Royals sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi became the youngest player to participate in IPL after being roped in for Rs 1.10 crore prior to IPL 2025. He was 13 years and 243 days old when he was purchased by RR. Other Under-19 stars in the recent of the IPL included Ayush Mhatre, Andre Siddharth, Musheer Khan, Swasatik Chikara and South Africa's Kwena Mphaka. Other young players who were associated with IPL earlier are Allah Ghazanfar with KKR at 15 years and 161 days in IPL 2024, and Prayas Ray Barman with RCB at the age of 16 years in 2019.