BCCI considering lifting ban on saliva use to shine the ball ahead of IPL 2025: Reports

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is considering lifting the ban on the use of saliva to shine the ball ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, according to a PTI report. The IPL 2025 season will begin on March 22, with the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) hosting the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at the Eden Gardens.

As per the report, the move has been discussed within the BCCI and will also be discussed with the captains of all the IPL franchises on Thursday, March 20, in Mumbai.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the International Cricket Council (ICC) prohibited the use of saliva to shine the ball as a precaution. The ICC permanently banned the use of saliva in 2022.

While the rule was followed in the IPL as well, the playing conditions of the tournament need not have to follow the ban put in place by the ICC at this point in time.

"Using saliva on the ball was part of the essence of the game until COVID hit. Now that we don't have that threat anymore, we feel there is no harm in lifting the ban on saliva in the IPL," a BCCI official was quoted as saying by PTI.

"We understand that it makes a bigger impact in red-ball cricket but even if it can help bowlers a bit in the white ball game, it should be allowed in the IPL, which is a trend-setting tournament," the official added.

It remains to be seen whether the captains of all teams agree to lift the ban on using saliva to shine the ball in the upcoming IPL edition.

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Will the ICC be influenced to lift ban on use of saliva to shine the ball if BCCI revokes the same during IPL 2025?

Should the BCCI lift the ban on using saliva to shine the ball in the upcoming IPL season, it could influence the ICC to reconsider their stance as well.

Several well-known cricketers like Mohammad Shami, Vernon Philander, and Tim Southee have already shared their views, asking for the ban to be lifted so that reverse swing can come into play which will help the bowlers.

Moreover, the BCCI are also likely to allow teams to use the DRS to challenge calls on height wides and wides outside the off-stump in the upcoming IPL 2025 season.