The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced on Thursday that it has lifted the ban on the use of saliva on the ball, which was imposed due to COVID-19, for the upcoming 2025 season of the Indian Premier League (IPL). This decision came after a majority of team captains expressed their support for the proposal.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) had prohibited the traditional practice of using saliva to maintain the ball's shine as a safety measure during the pandemic, leading to the IPL adopting this rule in response to the health crisis.

The push to lift the ban gained momentum following comments from Indian fast bowler Mohammed Shami, who advocated for its removal. He stated, "We are trying [to achieve reverse swing], but the use of saliva on the ball is not permitted. We continue to appeal for permission to use saliva so that we can reintroduce reverse swing into the game, making it more exciting," during India's Champions Trophy campaign in Dubai earlier this month. This sentiment was also supported by experienced fast bowlers Vernon Philander and Tim Southee.

During the captains' meeting in Mumbai on Thursday, the BCCI officially decided to revoke the saliva ban. With this change, the IPL becomes the first significant cricket tournament to allow the use of saliva again following the pandemic.

"A majority of captains supported the decision to lift the saliva ban," a senior BCCI official informed PTI.

BCCI's counter for dew factor

The Indian board has implemented a new regulation aimed at mitigating the impact of dew during IPL matches, permitting the use of a second ball in the second innings. This second ball will be introduced following the 11th over of the innings. As reported by Cricbuzz, this rule will "significantly diminish any advantage that the captain who wins the toss may have because of the dew, thereby promoting a more equitable competition in the matches."

Read Also: ‘Don’t Be Grumpy’: Clarke on IPL’s $3M Paydays Shifting Players’ Priorities

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