IPL 2025: Captains No Longer Banned for Slow Over-Rates; Saliva Ban Lifted in Landmark BCCI Decision after Captains' Approval

BCCI Replaces Over-Rate Bans with Demerit Points, Reintroduces Saliva

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 is set to usher in a new era, with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) enacting significant rule changes that will impact both captains and bowlers. In a landmark decision following a captains' meeting at the BCCI headquarters in Mumbai on Thursday, March 20th, automatic bans for slow over-rates have been abolished, replaced by a demerit point system. Furthermore, in a move that could dramatically alter the dynamics of the game, the BCCI has lifted the ban on using saliva to shine the cricket ball, a practice that had been prohibited since the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Over-Rate Offenses: From Bans to Demerits

Previously, IPL captains faced a one-match suspension and a hefty fine of Rs 30 lakhs for a third slow over-rate offense. This rule had significant consequences, as evidenced by Hardik Pandya's absence from Mumbai Indians' (MI) opening match against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) this season. Rishabh Pant, now with the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) after becoming the most expensive player in IPL history, also faced a ban last season while playing for Delhi Capitals (DC).

The new system introduces a tiered approach to over-rate penalties, focusing on demerit points rather than immediate suspensions. A BCCI source, quoted by PTI, explained: "A Level 1 offence will lead to deduction of 25 to 75 percent match fees with demerit points which will be calculated for next three years. Level 2 offence if serious will result in four demerit points."

The source further clarified, "For every four demerit points accumulated, the match referee can impose a penalty, either in the form of a 100 percent fine or additional demerit points. These demerit points could convert into a match ban in the future but for slow overrate there won't be a match ban." This change provides a more graduated approach to penalizing over-rate offenses, allowing captains to accumulate demerits before facing the ultimate sanction of a match ban. It gives teams a chance to rectify their over-rate issues without the immediate loss of their captain.

The Return of Saliva: A Post-Pandemic Shift

In a separate, but equally significant decision, the BCCI has also lifted the ban on using saliva to shine the cricket ball. This practice, a long-standing tradition in cricket, was prohibited in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The International Cricket Council (ICC) later made the ban permanent in 2022. However, the IPL, operating under its own set of playing conditions, has now decided to reinstate the practice.

The decision came after the BCCI had internally discussed the matter and then sought the opinions of the IPL team captains. The captains' collective agreement led to the lifting of the ban for the 2025 season.

A BCCI source had previously stated, "It's their (the captains') call. If they want to go ahead with it, we have no issue – we're okay with that. And if the ICC makes changes in the future, it will be for the betterment of cricket."

The reintroduction of saliva is expected to have a notable impact on the game, particularly for fast bowlers. Saliva helps to create a difference in air pressure on one side of the ball, facilitating "reverse swing," a crucial weapon for bowlers, especially in the later stages of an innings.

Shami's Plea and the Winner

The move aligns with calls from prominent cricketers, including Indian fast bowler Mohammed Shami, who had urged the ICC to reconsider the saliva ban during the Champions Trophy. Shami argued that the absence of saliva made it significantly harder for bowlers to generate reverse swing, thus tilting the balance of the game further in favor of batsmen.

"We are trying to reverse (swing), but you are not getting the use of saliva into the game. We are constantly appealing to allow the use of saliva, and it will be interesting with the reverse swing," Shami told reporters.

While the ICC has yet to follow suit, the BCCI's decision to lift the ban in the IPL could potentially influence the global governing body to review its stance.

IPL 2025 Kicks Off

The 2025 IPL season is set to begin on March 22nd, with defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) taking on Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. The opening match between MI and CSK will take place on March 23rd, with Suryakumar Yadav leading MI in Hardik Pandya's absence due to the previous over-rate rule.

The BCCI's bold decisions to overhaul the over-rate penalty system and reintroduce saliva use mark a significant turning point for the IPL. These changes, driven by input from the team captains, reflect a desire to balance fairness, maintain the flow of the game, and restore some advantage to the bowlers in a format increasingly dominated by batsmen. The impact of these rule changes will be closely watched as the 2025 IPL season unfolds.