Ahead of the 18th season of the TATA IPL, the BCCI conducted a Captains’, Coaches, and Managers’ meeting on March 20 at its headquarters.
Representatives from all 10 IPL teams shared their feedback, leading to the following key updates:
1) Use of Saliva to Shine the Ball
Bowlers will now be permitted to use saliva to shine the ball, marking a return to traditional ball maintenance. This reverses the COVID-19-era ban after consultations with all teams.
2) Replacement of Wet Ball to Counter Dew
The bowling team will be allowed one ball change request after the 10th over in the second innings, regardless of visible dew. Umpires will replace the ball with one of similar wear and tear, though teams cannot choose the replacement ball.
3) New Code of Conduct
A revised Code of Conduct will be introduced, implementing a demerit points system and suspension points, which will remain valid for 36 months.
4) Expansion of DRS Scope
The Decision Review System (DRS) will now cover height-based no-ball reviews and wide-ball reviews outside the off-stump. Hawk-Eye and ball-tracking will assist umpires in ensuring accurate and consistent decisions.
These updates aim to enhance fairness, accuracy, and gameplay quality in IPL 2025.
