In a latest turn of events, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), apex body for regulating cricket in the Indian sub-continent has revoked the ban on the use of saliva while bowling.
It has additionally introduced a new rule of second ball being brought in prior to the second innings in all matches. These are among the two key decisions made by the BCCI and the Indian Premier League (IPL) management ahead of the upcoming 2025 season.
The BCCI explained the new rules during the meeting of the IPL captains and managers at the Cricket Centre in Mumbai on Thursday (March 20).
The second ball will come into play after the 11th over of the second innings in an IPL match. The primary objective of this rule is to counter the impact of dew that often affects night-time matches.
By introducing the second ball, the rule effectively nullifies any advantage that the captain winning the toss might have, due to the dew factor and ensure a more even-playing field for all franchises and bowlers.
Bowlers will now be allowed to apply saliva on the ball in the latest edition of the biggest cricket league globally. The decision was taken after majority of the franchise captains voiced for a change with the decision-makers of the tournament.
The decision to lift the ban on the use of saliva was more or less on the cards considering that a player of the caliber of Mohammed Shami had urged the authorities to do away with the rule.
“We always keep requesting the authorities to allow us to use saliva so that swing and reverse comes into play during matches,” Shami had mentioned after a Champions Trophy game in Dubai recently. His request was further endorsed by veteran bowlers such as Vernon Philander and Tim Southee, who too saw merit in Shami’s appeal.
The ban on the use of saliva was implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic when the International Cricket Council (ICC) had imposed restrictions to mitigate the spread of the virus.
However, with the pandemic now past us, there have been increasing calls to lift this restriction and seek the required change.
As for the change of ball, the BCCI has left the decision to the discretion of the umpires. “It’s up to the umpires to determine whether the ball needs to be changed. They will decide based on the presence of dew,” as confirmed by a news report published on Cricbuzz.
As a result, this rule will primarily apply to the evening games, and it is highly unlikely that a second ball will be brought in for the afternoon matches scheduled on weekends.
The IPL season opener begins with a high-octane clash between Ajinkya Rahane led Kolkata Knight Riders and first-time captain Rajat Patidar with his men from Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
Live streaming on March 22 from 7pm is available on Jio Hotstar and Star Sports channels.
