IPL 2025: Big-hitting and aggressive batting have become a trend in the Indian Premier League (IPL) recently. To make sure there’s nothing unfair or illegal in all this exciting action, the BCCI is keeping a close watch. A good example of that was seen during the last double-header.
During the 28th and 29th matches of the ongoing IPL 2025 on Sunday, April 13, something unusual happened on the field that grabbed everyone’s attention and raised questions about whether a player might have done something suspicious.
During the afternoon IPL 2025 match between Rajasthan Royals and Royal Challengers Bengaluru, the umpires briefly stopped the game to check the bats of Shimron Hetmyer and Phil Salt.
Later that evening, in the game between Delhi Capitals and Mumbai Indians, match officials also looked at the bat of MI captain Hardik Pandya.
These checks were quick, and the games continued shortly after, with no changes made to the players’ gear in Jaipur and Delhi.
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According to PTI, these bat checks are now part of new rules introduced by the BCCI to ensure fair play. The goal is to make sure no player gains an unfair edge with their bat – especially as power-hitting becomes more common in the game.
For the first time, umpires are officially allowed to inspect bats during live matches. Last season, these checks only happened inside the dressing room.
A former BCCI umpire, who has officiated in over 100 IPL matches, shared that there were concerns about players showing one bat for inspection and then using a different one during the game. That’s why on-the-spot bat checks have now been introduced – to prevent any such chances and ensure fairness on the field.
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The former BCCI umpire was quoted as saying by PTI, “The umpires keep a house-shaped bat gauge. If the bat passes through that gauge, it is deemed acceptable. We have all performed bat checks before the start of the innings inside the dressing room. The players hand over their willows, and the check is done.”
He further added, “Now the question is, did any player provide one bat for check and use another on the field? If that has happened, then this protocol is welcome. The players always carry multiple bats. While the weight can vary, the height, width (bat face), depth (middle of blade), and width of the edge have to be within specified limits prescribed by the ICC.”
According to the International Cricket Council (ICC) rules, cricket bats have strict size limits. The front of the bat can’t be wider than 4.25 inches, and the thickest part in the middle must be under 2.64 inches. The edges can be up to 1.56 inches thick, and the bat’s total length can’t be more than 38 inches.
So far, the BCCI hasn’t said whether any of the recent bat checks in IPL 2025 were due to size issues. This season has already been full of big hits – 525 sixes have been smashed in just 29 matches, with West Indies batter Nicholas Pooran hitting 31 of them on his own.
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