BCCI Announces Major Rule Changes for IPL 2025: Saliva Ban Lifted, Impact Player Rule Continues, and More:

Important rules changes have been made by the Board of Control for Cricket in India regarding the IPL 2025 set to commence from March 22, 2025.

The modification such as removing saliva ban, sustaining the impact player rule, and eliminating penalization of captains for slow over-rates is no longer punishment, Arun Dhumal, IPL chairman told ANI.

This modification is indeed important since it removes the precautionary measure of saliva bans enacted during Covid.

Like many other rule changes made during the global pandemic, the rule of not allowing the use of saliva was made into a permanent rule by ICC in September 2012.

Many prominent fast bowlers have expressed their views that this removes their effectiveness as reverse swing is uncommon in white ball cricket as well as ODIs, which employ two new balls.

Only sweat could be applied by bowlers to shine the cricket ball. From time to time, bowlers have raised their voices to revise the saliva ban.

There will no longer be a suspension for captains because of slow over-rates.

After the last match between Mumbai Indians and the Lucknow Super Giants in IPL 2024, Mumbais captain Hardik Pandya received a suspension for a slow over rate.

The Impact Player rule will remain a feature of the tournament. It has been highly contested since its introduction during the IPL 20203 season. One change from the rule is the ability for teams to swap out a player in the course of a game, offering a more tactical aspect to the match.

These changes have been implemented with the anticipation that they radically transform how teams will plan and perform in the IPL.