The Board of Cricket Control For Cricket In India (BCCI), has introduced new restrictions, which would bar photo-only agencies from covering games and make a small number of its own photographs available to media, and these new regulations may force the Associated Press (AP) to suspend text and photo coverage of England's cricket tour of India.
International and some Indian photo-only agencies have already been refused accreditation for the England tour, while other international news organisations are considering suspending coverage.
The first of four Test matches is due to start in Ahmedabad on Thursday, when the new BCCI conditions are being introduced.
"We are surprised at these terms for photo agencies and remain hopeful that they will be lifted," Sports24 quoted Lou Ferrara, AP's managing editor for Sports, as saying.
"AP wants to provide cricket coverage to the world and it is only in the best interest of the organisers to allow that to happen for all news outlets, especially in this rapidly changing media landscape," he added.
AP is working with the News Media Coalition, a consortium of international media, to try to resolve the issue.
ANI