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Nitish Rana and Mohit Sharma share their honest takes on the bat-checks in IPL 2025, which have caught many by surprise.
Mohit Sharma (L) and Nitish Rana (R) – AFP Image.
Rajasthan Royals (RR) batter Nitish Rana and Delhi Capitals (DC) bowler Mohit Sharma had contrasting reactions about the recently seen bat-checks in the IPL. While Rana pointed out how T20 was already fighting to use its time judiciously, Sharma joked about how some batters should soon get caught and banned.
Both were speaking ahead of the two teams’ match at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, scheduled for Wednesday (April 16) evening. In RR’s last match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RR), the likes of Shimron Hetmyer and Phil Salt had their bats put through a gauge by the on-field umpires. They were apparently checking if the bats were the right size — but all seemed to pass the test.
While these checks are usually off the field, this was a rare instance of it happening near the pitch during the game and on live television.
“There’s already less time in this T20 format,” Rana said. “If the umpires have that much time to do the checks, then they have the right. Even my bat was checked. I think 60-70% of batters’ bats were checked in the last match. We can’t control it. We get bats from the sponsors. If the umpires want to check it, we don’t have a problem.”
Mohit, who spoke about how he tries to execute his plans in the most difficult bowling conditions, had an immediate smile on his face when he was asked the question.
” Bohot hi badhiya hai, hone do bat check (It’s brilliant, let the bats be checked!) Already they are hitting such big sixes. Let some of them get caught and be banned for a match or two!” he said.
According to the IPL’s rules, the maximum width of the edge can’t surpass 1.56 inches (4 cm). The height of the bat can’t be more than 38 inches (96.4 cm) from the top of the handle to the base.
‘Making Riyan Parag the captain a right decision’: Nitish Rana
Rana was also asked what he thought about young Riyan Parag getting RR’s captaincy ahead of him when Sanju Samson was not fit enough to take the field in the first three games. He maintained the honest tone but offered his full support to the RR management.
“When I captained KKR, the thing that went in my favour was that I had been playing for them for six or seven years. That was very important. So I guess, when I came to RR, Riyan knew about the team environment and culture much more than me. I am not saying that had they asked me, I would have said no, I would have accepted it with both hands, but it was an important decision for the team and I think the management got it right,” Rana said.
DC are placed eighth in the points table with two wins from six matches, while DC are second with only one loss in five games.
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Delhi, India, India
