During Friday’s IPL 2025 match between Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in Chennai, Ravindra Jadeja had an unusual moment at the crease. As he walked in to bat at No. 4, his bat did not pass the size check done by the on-field umpire.

This season, a new rule has been introduced in the IPL, which requires every batter to pass their bat through a special plastic gauge before batting. The gauge checks if the bat’s size is within the allowed limits, not too wide, thick, or curved. Openers get their bats checked before walking out, while other batters are checked on the field by umpires.

Jadeja smiled and tried again to pass the test after tapping the bat on the ground, but the gauge still didn’t go through. He then signaled to the dressing room, and substitute Shreyas Gopal brought out a few more bats. One of them finally passed the test. Former Australian captain Michael Clarke, while commentating, mentioned that he liked the new rule. He stated that the bat a player takes onto the field should be checked, and if a new one is brought in, that should be checked as well.

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— crictalk (@crictalk7) April 25, 2025

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A lucky start with the new bat

Jadeja then faced his first ball from Harshal Patel. It took the outside edge of the bat and went for four between the wicketkeeper and the short third fielder.  As per official rules, a bat’s length cannot be more than 38 inches, and its width and depth also have limits. The IPL’s gauge follows slightly larger limits to allow quick checks during the match. 

The moment brought some light drama to the game and showed how serious the league is about following equipment rules. Jadeja continued his innings with a legal bat and a smile. However, the CSK all-rounder could not convert the start he got as he was dismissed for 21 runs off 17 balls. In his short-lived innings, the star India all-rounder hit one maximum before getting dismissed by Kamindu Mendis.