Bats of all batters to be tested by umpires before the start of their innings in IPL 2025: Reports

Fans of the IPL have been wondering about the batters having their bats checked by the umpires before the start of their innings recently in the ongoing 2025 season. A report in Cricbuzz confirmed that a decision was made during the weekly umpires' meeting last week on the bats of all batters undergoing a gauge test before the start of their innings.

For the uninitiated, the process followed earlier had the fourth umpire testing the bats of the players in the dressing room on the eve of the match. However, this allowed batters to use a different bat from the one tested on matchday.

The same Cricbuzz report also suggests that this sudden decision at the near halfway mark of the tournament came about due to the number of defaulters this season.

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) players Sunil Narine and Anrich Nortje failed the gauge test in their clash against the Punjab Kings (PBKS) on April 15.

Other specific instructions aside, the general law states that the blade of the willow shall be within a width of 4.25 inches, a depth of 2.64 inches, and edges of 1.56 inches. The blade should also be able to go through the bat gauge to be deemed fit.

All ten teams have been informed about this development, and none have objected.

The bat test aside, the umpires have also been instructed to be more lenient towards player celebrations. Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) spinner Digvesh Rathi has already been fined twice for his notebook celebrations after picking up a wicket.

"Wish they'd checked the bats when I was playing" - Daniel Vettori

SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) head coach Daniel Vettori hilariously stated his wish for such bat checks to have happened during his playing career. The big bat size has been seen as one of the major reasons behind the high scores in T20s in recent years.

When asked about the bat checks in a recent media session, Vettori said (via India Today):

"I wish they'd checked the bats when I was playing. No, I don't think it makes any difference. The guys get tested regularly. The umpires go through the dressing rooms a lot of the time, so (the) guys know that their bats are compliant, so it's just a quick one second, and everyone moves on."

He continued:

"It's just part of the game, part of the evolution. Everyone seems to enjoy sixes and fours, so I don't think we're going to get a reduction in bat size and it doesn't really worry me."

Meanwhile, the 2025 IPL season is nearing its halfway stage, with some teams having played half of their 14 games. Delhi Capitals (DC) are currently atop the points table with five wins in six matches, while the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are at the bottom with only two wins in seven outings.