With bowlers set to shine again, former cricketers weigh in on how saliva, Impact Player rule may reshape the season
New Delhi, March 21 — The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has officially lifted the ban on the use of saliva to shine the ball for IPL 2025, a decision welcomed by fast bowlers and experts alike, though many believe its real impact will only be revealed on the field.
Former India pacer Atul Wassan said the move could be a game-changer during the slog overs but warned that not every bowler might know how to exploit it.
“Using saliva will change the weight and condition of the ball. It could reverse in the death overs and trouble batters. Now it’s about who uses it best,” Wassan said.
The decision was finalized during a meeting at the BCCI headquarters in Mumbai, where most franchise captains supported reinstating saliva use, a practice banned during the pandemic as a health precaution.
In addition to this major change, the Impact Player rule, first introduced in IPL 2023, will continue into IPL 2025, offering teams an added strategic tool to switch out a player during a match based on the situation.
Veteran umpire Anil Chaudhary compared the rule to the earlier ‘super sub’ concept, saying, “It’s just another layer of excitement. Fans enjoy these dynamics, and there’s a committee in place to keep evaluating them.”
Jwala Singh, coach of rising star Yashasvi Jaiswal, sees the Impact Player rule as a tactical boost.
“In simple terms, it’s like playing with 12 players. You get to cover your weak area — batting or bowling — and that’s a big advantage. But it’s all about timing its use,” he said.
With these changes in place, IPL 2025 promises a fresh tactical outlook. For bowlers in particular, the return of saliva could mark a return to traditional skills like reverse swing — especially important in the T20 death overs where the margin for error is razor thin.
While fans are eagerly awaiting the high-scoring thrillers, this year might just offer a twist—where bowlers begin to reclaim the spotlight in a format long dominated by the bat.