The IPL 2025 saliva rule is already making headlines — and it hasn’t even bowled its first delivery yet. In a sport increasingly dominated by power hitters, flat pitches, and high scores, Mohammed Shami has become an unlikely hero for pace bowlers everywhere.
By standing up for the return of saliva to shine the ball, Shami may have restored balance to a game tilting heavily in favor of batters. The decision by the BCCI to lift the saliva ban for IPL 2025 could very well revive the lost art of reverse swing — and possibly save the fast-bowling spectacle many fans have long missed.
The Historical Context Behind the IPL 2025 Saliva Rule
The use of saliva to maintain the ball’s shine has been part of cricketing tradition for more than a century. But during the COVID-19 pandemic, it was banned to avoid potential health risks. While the restriction still exists in international cricket, the IPL 2025 saliva rule reverses that policy — at least within the tournament’s boundaries.
Fast bowlers, especially those known for their ability to reverse the old ball, see this as a much-needed shift. For years, bowlers have had to toil on flat wickets with little movement, allowing batters to dominate, particularly in the death overs. But with the IPL 2025 saliva rule, bowlers like Shami can once again swing the ball both ways — and late.
Mohammed Shami: The Modern-Day Crusader for Fast Bowlers
In a cricketing climate where batters often steal the spotlight, Mohammed Shami has stepped up as the voice of the bowler. By openly supporting the return of saliva, Shami has reignited the conversation about the balance between bat and ball.
His perspective is simple yet powerful: for cricket to remain competitive and exciting, bowlers must be allowed to use every legitimate tool available. And reverse swing — made possible largely by shining one side of the ball with saliva — is one of those tools.
This stance has earned Shami admiration not just from fellow pacers, but also from purists who believe that true cricketing contests involve tension, tactics, and uncertainty — not just sixes.
Why the IPL 2025 Saliva Rule Matters More Than You Think?
The IPL 2025 saliva rule may sound like a technical change, but it holds deep implications for how the game will be played this season.
1. Reverse Swing Returns to the Spotlight
Saliva allows one side of the ball to stay shiny while the other wears down. This contrast causes the ball to reverse swing — often late in its trajectory — making it difficult for batters to predict.
2. A Boost for Death-Over Bowling
In recent IPL seasons, bowlers have struggled to contain runs at the death. With the ball staying dry and losing its bite, boundaries came too easy. Now, the return of saliva may finally help pacers control the slog overs.
3. Leveling the Playing Field
Batting in T20s has grown easier due to shorter boundaries, flatter pitches, and powerful bats. The IPL 2025 saliva rule offers a way to bring the contest back into balance — making matches more competitive and tactical.
A Throwback to Cricket’s Golden Age
To understand why this change is monumental, one only needs to look back to cricket’s early days. The era of Victor Trumper, WG Grace, and Ranjitsinhji wasn’t just defined by flamboyant batting — it was also an age where bowlers were artists, not just workhorses.
Cricket historian Sandipan Sharma draws parallels between today’s flat-pitch slog-fest and the brave battles of the past, where bowlers faced batters without helmets, on uncovered, dangerous wickets. Those battles were as poetic as they were brutal.
In modern cricket, that romance has been somewhat lost. But the IPL 2025 saliva rule may just bring it back. It’s a throwback to the times when the contest between bat and ball wasn’t one-sided.
The Art of Fast Bowling: More Than Just Speed
Modern fast bowling is about control, angles, and deception — and the cricket ball is the weapon. When one side of the ball is properly shined (usually with saliva), it helps create aerodynamic imbalance, allowing swing to occur. Especially in the death overs, where even mistimed shots clear the ropes, reverse swing becomes a bowler’s last line of defense.
By reinstating saliva, the IPL 2025 saliva rule doesn’t just give bowlers a tactical edge — it gives them hope.
IPL 2025 Saliva Rule: A New Swing in the Tale?
Picture this: the final over of a crucial match. Six runs needed off one ball. The batter sizes up the bowler. It’s Shami. The ball, polished to perfection, leaves his hand and starts to drift in. Just as the bat swings, it swerves away and crashes into the stumps.
That’s the magic the IPL 2025 saliva rule might restore. Drama. Deception. Delight.
Final Thoughts
The IPL 2025 saliva rule is more than a regulation tweak — it’s a restoration of balance, artistry, and respect for the often-thankless role of the fast bowler.
Thanks to Mohammed Shami, and the BCCI’s decision, IPL 2025 might not just be about boundaries and big scores. It might also be about bold fast bowlers, swinging tales, and moments that leave you breathless.
So next time you see the ball tail in sharply under the lights, remember — sometimes, all it takes to revive cricket’s lost magic… is a little spit and a lot of skill.
