BCCI mulling to lift saliva ban ahead of IPL 2025?

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is considering revoking the long-standing ban on using saliva to shine the ball in the Indian Premier League (IPL). The final call, however, may rest with team captains.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) had initially imposed the saliva ban in 2020 as a temporary measure to prevent the spread of COVID-19. However, in 2022, the ICC made the ban permanent, stating that players had already adapted to the new norm of maintaining the ball without saliva.

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Despite this, the BCCI is now reassessing the rule for the IPL. Sources with the knowledge of the mattersuggest that the board is open to discussions with team captains tomorrow, before coming to a final decision. If captains support lifting the restriction, the rule could be revised for the tournament.

Game-changing decision

Shining the ball using saliva has been a long-standing practice in cricket, helping bowlers generate swing. However, with the global pandemic changing how the game is played, players have had to rely on alternative methods such as sweat to maintain the ball's condition.

If the BCCI decides to overturn the saliva ban in the IPL, it could mark a significant shift in cricket regulations, potentially influencing the ICC to reconsider its stance as well.

Earlier, India pacer Mohammed Shamivoiced concerns about the lasting impact of theICC’s saliva ban, which was made permanent in 2022 after being initially introduced during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“We are trying to reverse the ball, but without saliva, it’s not as effective,” Shami said. “We are constantly appealing to allow the use of saliva again—it would make reverse swing more interesting.”

For now, the decision remains in the hands of IPL captains and officials.