BCCI's Landmark Rule Changes for IPL 2025

The BCCI has unveiled key rule changes for IPL 2025, starting March 22, including the end of the saliva ban and no captain bans for slow over rates. The Impact Player rule remains, promising strategic shifts in gameplay.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced significant rule modifications for the upcoming IPL 2025 season, which is set to kick off on March 22. Notably, the ban on using saliva to shine the ball has been lifted. This ban had originally been implemented in May 2020 as a COVID-19 precaution and later made permanent by the ICC in 2022. Fast bowlers have frequently criticized this rule, claiming it restricts their ability to reverse swing the ball.

Additionally, the BCCI has decided that captains will no longer be penalized with match bans for maintaining a slow over rate. This shift comes after instances like that of Mumbai Indians' captain Hardik Pandya, who faced such a penalty in IPL 2024.

The Impact Player rule, which stirred debates since its introduction in IPL 2023, will also continue this season. This rule allows each team to substitute a player during a match, adding a layer of strategic complexity. These changes are anticipated to reshape team strategies and overall gameplay in the forthcoming IPL season. (ANI)

(With inputs from agencies.)