Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) opener Sunil Narine’s bat went in for checks in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season game on Tuesday. Narine was seen holding his bat while the official used the equipment to check the width of the bat. Young batter Angkrish Raghuvanshi, who was set to walk in as the impact sub, was seen waiting to get his bat checked.
The veteran former West Indian star wasn’t impressed when his bat failed to meet the expectations of the new rules. Narine could be seen making his point to the official but ultimately had to change the bat. Raghuvanshi, who got his bat checked next, was seen passing the protocol. As per reports, Anrich Nortje, who was playing his first game of the season, also failed to pass the new protocol.
IPL 2025 saw the latest rules come into play to make sure the contest between the bat and ball remained equal. In the 2024 edition, Punjab Kings had chased down 261 runs needed to win to record the highest ever total in the history of the league. Each of the batters walking to bat will have to get their willow checked by the on-field umpires.
Why did the latest rule come into place?
IPL’s Chairman Arun Dhumal, during a recent chat with Indian Express, had said, “Nobody should feel that somebody’s got an undue advantage. 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.”
In the previous editions, the bats were checked a day before the game but the new rules mean that bats get checked during the game. Rajasthan Royals batter Nitish Rana was noncommittal about the new rule before the game against Delhi Capitals on Wednesday. Rana had said, “It is fair enough; we don't have a say in that; it is not controllable. The bats are made by the company that sponsors us. But if umpires want to check it for their satisfaction, we don't have a problem."
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