He BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) have lifted the ban of using saliva on ball for the IPL 2025.
Nearly after five years, since the Covid pandemic, it is a first time that saliva can be used on ball in a professional Cricket game. The decision came after the captains meets of the IPL ahead of the start of the 2025 season. A majority of captains agreed to the IPL committee's proposal.

"The saliva ban has been lifted. The majority of captains were in favour of the move. Some had reservations about the re-introduction, some sat on the fence but the majority of them supported the move," a top BCCI official told PTI.

The ICC banned the application of saliva on ball during the Covid pandemic as a precautionary measure. Since 2022, the Cricket World made it permanent and so did BCCI in IPL.

The BCCI also approved the use of DRS for height wides and wides outside the off-stump.

"Hawk eye and ball tracking will be used to decide on the height wides and wides outside the off-stump," the official added.

It was also decided that one ball will be changed in the second innings of an evening game after the 11th over due to dew.

"This is not a rule change, it's just an understanding for this year between teams and umpires. The changed ball will have wear and tear," an official said.