In a significant move to ensure fairness and uphold the spirit of cricket, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has introduced on-field bat size checks during the ongoing IPL 2025 season. This initiative aims to prevent players from gaining an undue advantage through the use of oversized bats, a concern in the era of aggressive power-hitting.
Umpires are now equipped with a house-shaped bat gauge to verify that bats conform to the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) specified dimensions: a maximum width of 4.25 inches, depth of 2.64 inches, and edge thickness of 1.56 inches. This gauge is used on the field to ensure compliance before a batter takes the crease.
Recent matches have seen umpires conducting random bat checks on players such as Shimron Hetmyer, Phil Salt, and Hardik Pandya. All bats inspected passed the gauge test, indicating adherence to the prescribed dimensions.
IPL Chairman Arun Dhumal emphasized the importance of this measure, stating, “Nobody should feel that somebody’s got an undue advantage.” He further added, “The BCCI and IPL have always taken all initiatives in this direction so that fairness of the game is maintained. We have used technology to the maximum to make sure that all decisions can be reviewed so that the games don’t get unfairly affected. The idea behind this initiative is to ensure that the spirit of the game is maintained.”
Players have expressed understanding and support for the new protocol. Nitish Rana remarked, “There is shortage of time in T20s, and if the umpires have the time to check the bat, I guess it is their right to do so – even my bat was checked.”
He added, “In that game, bats of 60-70% batsmen was checked. It is fair enough, we don’t have a say in that, it is not a controllable. The bats are made in the company that sponsors us, we don’t have an issue with that. But if umpires want to check it for their satisfaction, we don’t have a problem.”
A former BCCI umpire, who has officiated in over 100 IPL games, explained the procedure: “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 handover their willows and the check is done.”
He also raised a pertinent question, “Now the question is, did any player provide one bat for check and used 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 has to be within specified limits prescribed by the ICC.”
The implementation of on-field bat size checks in IPL 2025 reflects the BCCI’s commitment to maintaining a level playing field and preserving the integrity of the game. By ensuring that all equipment adheres to established standards, the league continues to promote fair competition and uphold the true spirit of cricket.
Name of Author: Cricexec Staff
