The Indian Premier League (IPL) plays a significant role in international cricket, as the International Cricket Council (ICC) has to consider the rules and their effect on the game. Before the beginning of the IPL 2025, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) reportedly reintroduced the rule, which can affect future international cricket matches. 

IPL and T20 cricket is known as batters paradise. Although we have seen many T20 matches, including IPL games, where bowlers dominated the entire game, the batting dominance is still natural for this shorter cricket format. We are experiencing similar stories in the other white-ball format, one-day cricket. Also, in the day-night cricket matches, especially before the peak summer season, dew plays a very important role as the bowlers can't control the game as time progresses.

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IPL 2025: 2 balls in the second innings of a match 

While the ICC is working hard to make white-ball cricket better for the bowlers naturally, the IPL has taken steps to do so. In the IPL 2025, we are likely to see two balls in the second innings of an IPL match. The second ball will come into play after the 11th over of the second innings. According to the Cricbuzz report, this decision has been taken by the BCCI and the Indian Premier League (IPL) management, and it was explained on Thursday (March 20) during a meeting of the captains and managers at Cricket Centre in Mumbai.

The dew factors play crucial roles in the IPL, especially in the first half of the season. Unlike the present ODI format, where we see both innings start with two new balls on either side of the pitch, T20 matches have started with one new ball in each innings and continue with the same ball till the end of the innings. 

However, in the IPL 2025, the first innings will be played with a single ball, while the second innings will be played with two balls, and the second ball will come into effect after the 11th over of the second innings. IPL believes that it will nullify any toss advantage, especially the effect of dew. 

Here are some key facts about the new IPL 2025 rule of using two new balls in the second innings of a match

• It will be used in the 2nd innings.
• It will come into play after the 11th over.
• Umpires will determine whether the ball needs to be changed.
• It will be decided on the presence of dew.
• This rule is unlikely to be used in the afternoon matches.

IPL 2025: Usage of saliva on the ball returns

On the other hand, the BCCI has reportedly reintroduced the usage of saliva on the ball from IPL 2025. Saliva plays an important role in setting up reverse swing by making one side of the ball shinier, which is more effective in the ODI format and Test cricket. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, saliva usage on the ball was banned, while the players can only use sweat on the ball. Recently, the Indian pacer Mohammed Shami talked about bringing back the saliva-using rule on the ball in international cricket, and he has gotten some good support from the experts.