IPL 2025 Enforces Mandatory Bat Checks Amid Rising Defaulters

The IPL has introduced a new mid-season rule requiring all batters to have their bats checked with a gauge immediately before their innings, addressing a surge in players using bats that exceed allowed dimensions. Previously, bats were tested in the dressing room before matches, allowing the possibility of swapping to non-compliant bats on game day. This change was prompted by a spike in defaulters and concerns among teams that some players were gaining an unfair advantage with oversized bats, particularly thicker ones at the blade's middle. Notably, bats of Kolkata Knight Riders' Sunil Narine and Anrich Nortje failed the new on-field gauge test shortly after its introduction. The updated rule aims to close loopholes, maintain fairness, and restore balance between bat and ball as T20 scores have risen in recent years. All teams have been notified of the procedure and have not objected to its implementation.