IPL 2025: BCCI lifts saliva ban in the league after getting captains` thumbs up

Ahead of the IPL 2025, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) lifted the ban on the use of saliva on the ball, after a majority of captains agreed to its proposal.

IPL will be the first major cricket tournament to do away with the rule that was imposed following the COVID-19 pandemic.

The decision was finalized at the IPL 2025 captains` meet in Mumbai.

“The saliva ban has been lifted. Majority of captains were in favour of the move. Some had reservations about the re-introduction, some sat on the fence but majority of them supported the move,” a top BCCI official told PTI.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) banned the age-old practice of applying saliva to shine the ball as a precautionary measure during the COVID-19 pandemic, during which health practitioners advocated strict hygiene protocols and physical distancing.

In 2022, the world body made the ban permanent.

The IPL too included the ICC ban in its playing conditions in the aftermath of the pandemic but its guidelines are outside the purview of the sport`s governing body.

The captain`s meeting, which was scheduled to begin at 12.30 pm in Mumbai, did not start on time due to a delay in the arrival of a few team officials at the BCCI office.

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Now that the ban is revoked in the IPL, the ICC too might review its stance on the subject.

On the sidelines of the ICC Champions Trophy, senior India pacer Mohammed Shami had spoken about the need to use saliva on the ball in what has become a predominantly batters` game.

The likes of Vernon Philander and Tim Southee had backed Shami`s call.

“We keep appealing that we should be allowed to use saliva so that we can bring reverse swing back into the game and it becomes interesting,” Shami had said during the 50-over event in Dubai, where India emerged victorious.

Also on the agenda of the IPL 2025 captains` meeting was the contentious Impact Player rule which the BCCI had already extended till at least 2027.

The likes of Rohit Sharma and more recently Hardik Pandya have expressed their reservations on the playing strategy.

“While a few have raised objections on the Impact Player rule, it has benefitted uncapped batters and bowlers who otherwise won`t get to play,” the official said.

The BCCI also approved the use of DRS for height wides and wides outside the off-stump.

“Hawk eye and ball tracking will be used to decide on the height wides and wides outside the off-stump,” the official added.

One more decision was finalized that the ball will be changed in the second innings of the IPL 2025 evening match after the 11th over due to the dew factor.

“This is not a rule change, it`s just an understanding for this year between teams and umpires. The changed ball will have wear and tear,” an official said.

(With PTI Inputs)