New Delhi [India], March 21 (ANI): Former Indian cricketer Atul Wassan has said that the decision to lift the ban on the use of saliva in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 will give bowlers an advantage by enabling them to generate reverse swing in the death overs, creating challenges for batters, and urged bowlers to make the most of it, ESPNcricinfo reported.

The decision to allow bowlers to use saliva on the ball in IPL 2025 was made following a meeting at the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) headquarters in Mumbai on Thursday. Most franchise captains expressed their support for the change during discussions with tournament officials, according to ESPNcricinfo.

Speaking on the matter, Wassan explained how reverse swing is influenced by the weight of the ball.

'The weight on the bowl makes it to reserve swing. From the sweat, the bowl doesn't get heavier; when it gets heavy, it reverses its swing. If the bowler can reserve the bowl, they have an advantage and should use it.'

He also spoke about the Impact Player rule, which allows teams to bring in a substitute player during a match. According to Wassan, the rule adds to the excitement of the game. 'In the impact player rule, you have 12 players. Sometimes, you lose five wickets, but with this rule, you can get a chance to return to the game. For close matches and entertainment, it is good.' Atul Wassan said in an event.

Yashasvi Jaiswal's coach, Jwala Singh, also commented on the reinstatement of saliva use and the Impact Player rule. He noted that reverse swing would make it harder for batters to play big shots.

'If the bowl will reserve swing, it will be difficult for batters to hit big shots; you see players like Surya Kumar Yadav and AB de Villiers fall onto the yorkers and play big shots. If the bowlers can reverse swing the bowl batter, they will be late onto the shots, making them hesitant while playing big shots.' Jwala Singh in an event.

'In my opinion, the impact player rule is unfair for the all-rounder because teams choose batsmen mostly as impact players, but for entertainment, I propose it is good,' Jwala Singh said at an event.' He added.

The much-debated Impact Player rule, introduced in IPL 2023, will continue to be part of the tournament. The rule allows teams to substitute one player during a match, adding a strategic element to the game. (ANI)