BCCI Bans Smart Glasses: While millions of cricket fans await who will join the Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the final of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced a new rule. The BCCI has put a ban on smart glasses that could be used for video and audio recording. This new rule could result in Virat Kohli losing out on crores of rupees. The former RCB skipper is the brand ambassador of Oakley, who have produced smart glasses with Meta.
During the current 2026 season, players, support personnel, and match officials have been banned from wearing or carrying smart sunglasses inside restricted IPL zones, according to the BCCI’s Anti-Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU). The Board took this action after observing a rise in the use and advertising of smart eyewear with live streaming, messaging, and video communication capabilities.
Did Virat Kohli’s Meta Campaign Trigger BCCI’s Smart Glasses Ban?
It is believed that Virat Kohli’s new ad led the BCCI to ban smart glasses. According to reports, the BCCI’s Anti-Corruption and Security Unit observed a rise in promotion of such glasses. Notably, Oakley Meta AI glasses ads featuring Virat Kohli appear during the live broadcast of IPL games.
Will BCCI’s New Rule Affect Virat Kohli’s Sponsorship Deal?
With this new rule from the BCCI, Virat Kohli could lose brand sponsorship with Oakley Meta. The star Indian batter had recently appeared in an advertisement for Oakley Meta AI glasses. These glasses not only allow the person wearing them to record videos but also integrate AI to ask questions. Even in his ad, Kohli is seen asking a question to Meta AI while he is being seen training.
Why is Rishabh Pant Among Players Under Spotlight After BCCI’s New Rule?
The current reports indicate that the players will be banned from IPL 2026; however, it is likely that the players will not be allowed to wear such glasses in international cricket as well. This could mean a possible restriction on players like Rishabh Pant. The wicketkeeper batter has had a couple of instances where he has worn the glasses and used them to record videos. The first recorded instance of him sporting these smart glasses was in the Champions Trophy 2025 final, where India defeated New Zealand to be crowned champions.
Meanwhile, only a few months later, Pant recorded yet another video wearing the viral smart glasses. This time around, he was recording one of the training sessions of Lucknow Super Giants in IPL 2025.
Pragun is a passionate cricket follower and writer who deeply loves the game. Having completed his education with a degree in Journalism and Mass Communication, he has an experience of almost two years in diverse fields. He is known for his statistical and analytical articles. Pragun tries to bring life to his articles by adding a layer of enthusiasm from the perspective of a hardcore fan. Apart from writing cricket articles, he sometimes appears on YouTube videos on a friend’s podcast.
