With just two days left for the 18th season of the Indian Premier League (IPL), the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has made a crucial decision favoring fast bowlers. The board has officially lifted the ban on using saliva to shine the ball, allowing bowlers to rub spit on the ball once again.
The decision came after a meeting of the ten IPL team captains in Mumbai, where the majority of them requested the removal of the ban. The BCCI accepted the proposal, announcing that fast bowlers can now use saliva to enhance swing movement, particularly reverse swing.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) initially imposed the saliva ban during the COVID-19 pandemic to prevent the spread of the virus. The rule was later implemented in the IPL as well. However, several pacers, including India’s Mohammed Shami and New Zealand’s Tim Southee, had urged cricket authorities to reconsider the restriction.
Shining one side of the ball with saliva helps generate reverse swing, a key weapon for fast bowlers in the latter stages of an innings. With the IPL now lifting the restriction, all eyes are on the ICC’s response and whether it will consider revising the rule for international cricket.
