The ban on applying saliva to a cricket ball will be lifted in the 2025 Indian Premier League tournament.
The decision comes after a majority of the franchise captains called for a change at a meeting at the Board of Control for Cricket in India headquarters on Thursday.
A temporary ban was introduced in May 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic and in September 2022 the ICC made the ban permanent, though the use of sweat was still allowed.
Players have traditionally used saliva and sweat to polish one side of the ball while the opposite is left to deteriorate through natural wear and tear to make it swing in the air.
The move aimed to uphold hygiene protocols while ensuring player safety in the post-pandemic era.
During the ICC Champions Trophy, Indian pace bowler Mohammed Shami called for the ban to be lifted, stating that bringing reverse swing back into the game will make it more entertaining, with New Zealand’s Tim Southee agreeing.
Watch all 74 matches from the 2025 IPL live on Sky Sports, starting with the opener between Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Saturday March 22 (2pm first ball) and concluding with the final on Sunday May 25.
