IPL 2025: Saliva ban revoked, two balls in play — game-changer or gimmick? | Cricket News

IPL Trophy (Photo Credit: BCCI/IPL)

NEW DELHI: It is that time of the year. Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 is set to kick off — but with a host of rule changes, many of which have already drawn attention.
While most of the recent updates make sense to an extent, both current and former players are keen to see how the changes pan out over the next two months.
Among the headline-grabbing rules are: the return of saliva to shine the ball and the introduction of a second ball for the second innings in evening matches.
With these new regulations in place, certain questions have started creeping into the equation: What was the need for these new norms? How could these benefit the players — bowlers in this case? And are these rules a game-changer or gimmick?
“If you look at it, saliva is used less on a new ball; sweat is used more because the new white ball is lighter,” Parvinder Awana, who played three IPL seasons for Kings XI Punjab, told TimesofIndia.com.
Over the past few seasons, 200-plus scores have become routine in the IPL, thanks to flat wickets and flamboyant bravado of the batters. The Impact Player rule made a significant difference last season.
Bowlers, particularly pacers, have struggled to get much purchase off the surface with the white ball.

The lifting of the saliva ban might just tilt the balance slightly in their favour.
“When the ball gets a bit older, one side needs to be made slightly heavier for reverse swing. That’s when saliva is applied, and it helps the ball shine better,” the 38-year-old explained.
“The red ball shines more because its leather is softer. The white ball is harder, and its shine wears off quickly. It swings early on, but as it ages, the swing reduces.”
However, for saliva to be effective, the playing surface needs to be conducive to reverse swing. That means some wear and tear on the pitch — and on one side of the ball.
“If the pitch and ground conditions are a bit rough, and if some saliva is applied to shine one side while keeping the other side rough, the ball will reverse swing,” Awana elaborated.
While it remains to be seen how much of a difference saliva can make, the introduction of a second ball in the second innings of evening games is expected to bring noticeable relief for bowlers.
By giving bowlers a worn-down ball after the 11th over of the second innings, the second ball rule aims to counter the dew factor — a perennial issue in night matches.
This move is expected to restore some balance between bat and ball, and reduce the toss advantage often gained by the chasing side.
“In evening matches, there’s usually dew. So if a second new ball is used, it would help bowlers with grip. And a new ball could also swing,” Awana pointed out.
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However, the implementation of this change is not automatic.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has left the decision on ball replacement to the discretion of the on-field umpires.

While acknowledging the potential impact of this move, Awana is cautiously optimistic and keen to observe how it plays out in real-time
He concluded, “As a fast bowler myself, it’s a good thing for bowlers; it’s something new. Let’s see how it plays out when the season starts.”