Rajasthan Royal's key player, Riyan Parag faced a rare and awkward moment during the 32 match of IPL 2025 match against Delhi Capitals at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. Just as he was about to take strike, the umpire stopped him for a routine bat check. The bat didn’t pass the size test, and Parag was told to switch it out.

He had come in to bat for the injured Sanju Samson, but things didn’t go smoothly. There was a brief exchange between Parag and the umpire, and it was clear he wasn’t happy about the situation. Still, he had no choice but to change his bat before continuing. A video of the incident has since gone viral, showing the exact moment the bat was checked and Parag’s reaction when he found out it wasn’t allowed.

The umpires are doing their job and #RiyanParag’s bat is under scrutiny! 🧐

Watch the LIVE action ➡ https://t.co/nbBEFOkjkM #IPLonJioStar 👉 #DCvRR | LIVE NOW on Star Sports 1, Star Sports 1 Hindi & JioHotstar! pic.twitter.com/o68pxrSrje

— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) April 16, 2025

Unfortunately for Parag, the new bat didn’t help much, he scored just 8 runs from 11 balls before getting out. This isn’t the first time this has happened in IPL 2025. Earlier, KKR’s Sunil Narine and Anrich Nortje also had to change their bats after failing similar checks.

ALSO READ: IPL 2025: PBKS vs RCB Match 34- Who will be Impact Players for today's match?

What are the guidelines for the size of a cricket bat?

As per the rules, bats must stick to certain size limits: the width can’t be more than 10.79 cm, the middle (blade) can't be thicker than 6.7 cm, edges can’t go beyond 4 cm, and the total length must be undcer 96.4 cm.

So why are umpires checking bats more this season? It’s part of a BCCI rule meant to make the game fair. With big-hitting becoming such a big part of T20 cricket, officials want to make sure no one is using oversized bats to gain an edge. Unlike past seasons, umpires are now allowed to check bats during matches not just in the dressing room. With the rules being taken more seriously this year, players and teams are being reminded that there's no room for shortcuts when it comes to equipment.