The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is considering lifting the ban on applying saliva to the ball in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, a move that could have global implications.
The proposal has been extensively discussed within the board and will be presented to IPL team captains in a meeting in Mumbai on Thursday.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) initially banned the use of saliva in 2020 as a precautionary measure during the COVID-19 pandemic, making the restriction permanent in 2022.
The IPL followed suit, but as a domestic tournament, its playing conditions remain independent of ICC regulations.
"Using saliva on the ball was part of the game’s essence until COVID hit. Now that the threat is gone, we feel there is no harm in lifting the ban in the IPL," a senior BCCI official declared.
The official acknowledged that saliva has a greater impact in red-ball cricket but argued that even minor assistance for bowlers in the white-ball format should be considered. "The IPL is a trend-setting tournament. Let’s see what the captains decide tomorrow," he added.
If the IPL revokes the saliva ban, it could put pressure on the ICC to reconsider its stance.
During the ICC Champions Trophy, senior India pacer Mohammed Shami had advocated for reversing the ban, emphasizing the importance of saliva in aiding reverse swing. Former international bowlers Vernon Philander and Tim Southee had backed Shami’s stance.
"We keep appealing that we should be allowed to use saliva so that reverse swing returns and the game becomes more balanced," Shami had stated during India’s title-winning campaign in Dubai.
As per IPL’s current playing conditions, the first instance of applying saliva results in a warning to the fielding captain. A second violation leads to a final warning, while a third or subsequent offence results in a fine of 25% of the player's match fee.
DRS to cover height and off-side wides
The IPL is also set to approve the use of the Decision Review System (DRS) for height-based and off-side wides.
"Hawk-Eye and ball-tracking will be used to decide height wides and wides outside the off-stump. Teams can review an umpire’s wide call for height if they believe it was not high enough to warrant a wide," the official confirmed.
The IPL 2025 season begins on March 22, with Kolkata Knight Riders facing Royal Challengers Bangalore in the opening match.
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