Mohit Sharma Credits Saliva Rule Change for Boosting IPL Bowling

Fast bowler Mohit Sharma of the Delhi Capitals (DC) is having fun using saliva on the ball once again. He mentioned that since the rule change for this season, the ball is reverse swinging more in IPL 2025.

This IPL season also introduced a new regulation allowing the team bowling second to switch the ball after ten overs, regardless of whether there is dew or not. This rule is seen as a "game-changer" for bowlers.

Five years ago, the ICC banned the use of saliva on the ball due to COVID-19, and all member boards at all levels of cricket adhered to this rule. However, following a request from the majority of IPL captains, the IPL administrators changed the regulation to allow saliva once again just before the current season began.

Since a wet ball is harder to grip and control, the regulation was also introduced to allow the bowling captain to switch the ball during the second half of the chase. This was primarily done to address the impact of dew on the ball. In the second innings, regardless of whether there is dew, the bowling team has the option to switch the ball at any point after the tenth over.

This was recently observed in DC's most recent game on Sunday against the Mumbai Indians (MI). Given the amount of dew in Delhi, MI decided to bring in leg-spinner Karn Sharma after 13 overs, when DC needed 61 runs to win from 42 balls with six wickets remaining. Tristan Stubbs misplayed the third ball of the over to Naman Dhir after he was given the dry ball immediately.