‘I didn’t know that I have to use it’- Bhuvneshwar Kumar admits he forgot saliva ban has been lifted

Before the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL), the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) overturned the ban on using saliva to shine the cricket ball. After the COVID-19 outbreak, the IPL became the first major cricket league to reinstate the practice.

After the practice was temporarily outlawed in May 2020 as a Covid-19 precaution and then permanently outlawed in September 2022, bowlers like Mohammed Shami urged the ICC to bring it back. The Indian Cricket Board lifted the restriction, enabling bowlers to utilise reverse swing as a tactic to counter the hard-hitting batters in the IPL, but the ICC has not given up.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar, a speedster for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), candidly said that he was unaware that the ban had been lifted. Although he was unsure if it would be beneficial, the right-arm bowler pledged to give it a go in RCB’s upcoming match against Punjab Kings (PBKS) on Friday, April 18, at Bengaluru’s M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.

“I didn’t realise I could use saliva.” I was unaware that I needed to utilise it until the staff informed me yesterday. India Today cited Bhuvneshwar as stating, “I’m not sure if it will help or not, but now that I remember, I will definitely put some saliva in tomorrow’s match and see if it helps or not.”

From match to match, Hazlewood’s and my roles continue to shift: Bhuvneshwar Kumar

The Meerut-born player has partnered with Australia pacer Josh Hazlewood to give RCB a potent new-ball attack. The Uttar Pradesh seamer stated that although their duties vary from match to match, the primary goal is to take wickets and contribute to the team’s success.

It is impossible to describe the job before to the game. When it comes to our bowling, Hazlewood and I often bowl in the end and with the new ball. We have a very typical role, although it varies from match to match. The way we bowl in the opening overs, the team’s batting performance, and other factors all play a role. However, as seasoned bowlers, we both want to win games and contribute to the team’s success,” he remarked.