IPL 2022: 10 things that have changed since RR last won the inaugural tournament

Just like the Covid-19 replacement, the International Cricket Council (ICC)  banned the use of saliva on the ball due to the coronavirus pandemic. Traditionally, the fielder applies saliva to one side of a ball to make it swing in mid-air. However, that practice came under sharp focus in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

The decision did not go down well with the bowlers, especially the pacers as the practice is used to obtain reverse swing, particularly, with the the red ball. However, the top board did not stop the teams to use their sweat to shine the ball. Despite the ban, cricketers sometimes apply saliva to the ball mistakenly.

As a result, the umpires were forced to change the cricket ball. Apart from the saliva ban, umpires now also sanitize the ball whenever it goes out of the cricket field after being struck for a maximum. The rule is still in place even after the pandemic reaches its ending stages.