IPL 2025: Nitish Rana, Mohit Sharma back umpires checking bat sizes

Nitish Rana and Mohit Sharma shared their opinion on umpires checking the bat sizes in the IPL 2025. The duo gave similar opinions in their own way. Rana felt that T20 cricket is a shorter game and the umpires had the right to check the sizes of the willows of every batter.

Ahead of the match between RR and DC, Rana and Mohit appeared in the pre-match press conference. Rana did not find it a problem to get the size of his bat checked.

"There is a 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," Rana said as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.

Along with Rana, Shimron Hetmyer, Riyan Parag, and Phil Salt's bats were verified by the umpires during the match between RR and RCB. In the match between DC and MI, Hardik Pandya's bat size was verified. The Southpaw addressed it and said umpires checked the bat sizes of about 60-70% of the batters in the RR vs RCB match.

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If umpires want to check it for their satisfaction, we don't have a problem: Nitish Rana

The Southpaw felt it was fair, as the batters did not have their say in the decisions of the umpires. He felt the willows were made in companies and sponsored for them. The RR player said he did not have a problem as a batter if the umpires wanted to verify them.

"In that game, bats of 60-70% of batsmen were checked. It is fair enough, we don't have a say in that, it is not 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," Rana added.

Mohit Sharma was asked the same question, who said jokingly, "That's really good, please check those bats. As it is, we have been seeing such big sixes. If a bat or two are caught oversized, then ban them also."