Bowlers cheer India’s saliva ban lift for shining cricket balls

Saturday, 22 March 2025 00:42 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Bowlers will be allowed to use saliva to shine the cricket ball in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL), reversing the ban imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic five years ago, reports say.

Indian cricket’s governing body’s decision came after a majority of the tournament’s franchise captains supported the move during a meeting on Thursday, ESPNcricinfo said.

A temporary saliva ban was introduced in May 2020 on medical advice during the pandemic, with use of sweat still permitted. The International Cricket Council (ICC) made the ban permanent in September 2022.

Players use saliva and sweat to polish one side of the ball in order to make it swing in the air.

The use of saliva was banned to reduce potential transmission of the COVID-19 infection.

Saliva helps fast bowlers maintain the ball’s shine, creating an imbalance that aids swing, a key element in cricket’s bowling mechanics for more than a century.

It also helps bowlers generate reverse swing, where the ball moves in the opposite direction to what is expected. This is particularly important in dry conditions or with older balls.

Saliva is more effective in red-ball cricket, typically used in Tests, than in white-ball formats like ODIs and T20s.

In red-ball cricket, the ball is used for a longer period, allowing bowlers to shine one side and help generate reverse swing.

It remains unclear whether the International Cricket Council (ICC) will lift the saliva ban for red-ball cricket, following the Indian cricket board’s decision to lift it for the world’s richest T20 league. The ICC is led by Jay Shah, former secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the world’s wealthiest cricket board.

The change will come into effect from Saturday when IPL 2025 – its 18th edition – kicks off with defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) facing Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at Eden Gardens. The tournament will feature 74 matches across 13 cities over two months.

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