IPL 2025: Saliva Ban Has Been Removed, After Captains Meet In Mumbai

On March 20, The Board of Cricket Council of India(BCCI) decided to remove the Saliva ban in the IPL 2025 season, which is a major step for both cricket fans and players.This decision has been taken when all teams franchise captains came to the BCCI headquarter in Mumbai. The first match of IPL 2025 will be played between Kolkata Knight Rider and Royal Challengers Bengaluru at Eden Garden in Kolkata on 22 March. 

The History of Saliva

Saliva has been used in the past to one side of the cricket ball by bowlers to keep it shiny, allowing for both conventional and reverse swing. However, the ICC temporarily banned this process in May 2020 due to worries about viral transmission during the COVID-19 pandemic. This prohibition was later made permanent in 2022.

Effect On The Biomechanics of Bowling

It is expected that bowlers will gain from the return of saliva since it will allow them to produce reverse swing, which is a vital ability in the closing stages of an innings. It has been difficult to keep the ball in reverse swing condition without saliva, which has resulted in more scoring games and less competition between bat and ball. Mohammed Shami of India and other fast bowlers have called for the ban to be lifted, pointing out that doing so will make games more interesting and competitive. 

Top Fast Bowlers Statement On Saliva

Mohmmad Siraj (Gujarat Titans, India)

“It's very good for bowlers. It's excellent news for us bowlers because when the ball is not doing anything, applying saliva on the ball will increase the chances of finding some reverse swing”. 

Tim Southee (Mumbai Indians, New Zealand)

"That was a rule brought around Covid with the virus going around the world, but I think as a bowler, you want to have a slight advantage,"