To counter the effects of dew, the IPL has introduced a new rule allowing the team bowling second in an evening match to change the ball once at any point after the tenth over. Any additional ball changes will be at the discretion of the on-field umpires. This decision was made on Thursday during a meeting with the ten captains of IPL 2025 and was communicated to the franchises on Friday.

Previously, the decision to change the ball due to dew was solely at the umpires' discretion, based on whether they deemed it too wet. However, given the significant impact of dew at certain venues, franchises urged match officials to be more flexible and permit multiple ball changes. Under the new rule, the umpires must approve the bowling team's first request for a ball change at any point between overs 11 and 20 during the chase.

In evening matches, the bowling team will have the right to request a ball change anytime after the 10th over, regardless of dew conditions. However, this option is not available in afternoon games, and the request must be made at the end of an over, not during it. If the bowling side chooses to continue with the same ball beyond the 10th over, no replacement will be provided.

After the 10th over, the replacement ball will have a similar level of wear and tear as the one being swapped out. However, the bowling team won’t get to choose the ball—umpires will make the selection. One possible drawback for the bowlers is that if the new ball happens to be slightly harder than the old one, it could make scoring runs easier for the batting side.