IPL 2025: BCCI lifts COVID-imposed saliva ban, slow over-rate rule tweaked

With two days left for the 18th season of the much-awaited Indian Premier League to kick-off, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Thursday lifted the ban on use of saliva on the ball in the IPL 2025 following majority of captains agreed to its proposal.

The BCCI took the decision at the captains' meeting in Mumbai.

"The saliva ban has been lifted. Majority of captains were in favour of the move," PTI quoted a BCCI official as saying.

As a precautionary measure during the COVID-19 pandemic, the International Cricket Council (ICC) had banned the age-old practice of applying saliva to shine the ball. In 2022, the world body made the ban permanent.

According to the details, 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.

Now, the IPL becomes the first major cricketing event to re-introduce saliva's use after the COVID-19 pandemic.

BCCI tweaks slow over-rate rule:

The BCCI stated that the franchises will no longer face a ban for slow over rates.

Keeps Impact Player rule:

The much-debated Impact Player rule, introduced in IPL 2023, will continue to be a part of the tournament. The rule allows teams to substitute one player during a match, adding a strategic element to the game.

Mohammed Shami's role?

Earlier, during the ICC Champions Trophy, Mohammed Shami had spoken about the need to use saliva on the ball and he was backed by Tim Southee.

“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,” Sportstar had quoted Shami as saying during the Champions Trophy.

Following this, the discussions started and the board opened up to discussion.

What is the no saliva rule?

If a player applies saliva to the ball before the IPL approves the proposal for using saliva on the ball, the fielding team’s captain is summoned and issued a first warning.

In the second instance, the fielding team’s captain is summoned and issued a second and final warning that the bowler may be fined by BCCI.

If the instance is repeated for the third time, the player is subject to a fine, payable to BCCI, of the lesser of 10 lakh or 25% of his match fee, added the Sportstar.

With agency inputs.