The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced four significant modifications for the 2025 IPL on the eve of the opening match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and the reigning champions Kolkata Knight Riders.
On Thursday, March 20, in preparation for the 18th season of the IPL, the BCCI held a meeting for captains, coaches, and managers at its headquarters.
Representatives from each of the ten IPL teams shared their thoughts and ideas on a range of topics pertaining to the playing conditions at the discussion. The following updates have been included based on a general consensus.
Bowlers will be allowed to use saliva to shine the ball starting in the 2025 Indian Premier League. Following discussions with all ten teams, this decision signifies a return to conventional ball maintenance procedures. Saliva use was formerly prohibited during the COVID-19 epidemic, but it has now been abolished.
Second, the team bowling second will now be able to request a ball change once after the tenth over, which will help with the problems caused by dew during twilight matches.
Whether or not dew is apparent, the bowling captain has the authority to make this request. The umpires are required to swap out the ball for another with comparable wear and tear as soon as the request is made. The replacement ball will not be up to the bowling team’s discretion.
Furthermore, if the ball is judged to be too wet, out of shape, lost, or broken, the umpires have the right to replace it at any point prior to the tenth over. The umpires will assess the request and grant it if necessary if a captain asks for a ball change in the eleventh over because it is out of shape.
As previously said, the umpires will have to replace the ball mandatory if a second request is made after a few overs purely because of dew.
The TATA IPL 2025 season will see the implementation of a new Code of Conduct beginning this season, which will include a suspension point system and demerit points that will last for 36 months.
Lastly, wide-ball reviews outside the off-stump and height-based no-ball reviews have been included to the Decision Review System (DRS). Hawk-Eye technology and ball-tracking will be used in the upgraded system to help umpires make precise and reliable calls.