New Chandigarh, Apr 16: Three Kolkata Knight Riders' (KKR) players, Sunil Narine, Andre Russell and Anrich Nortje's bats failed the gauge test during the IPL 2025 game against Punjab Kings (PBKS) in Mullanpur on Tuesday.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) had put in a protocol for umpires to be issued a bat gauge in 2017, which they can use to check a bat’s legality in international cricket matches. The random on-field check of bats has now become a routine affair for the remainder of the IPL 2025 to maintain fairness in the matches.

Ahead of the KKR's chase of 112, when KKR openers Narine and Angkrish Raghuvanshi's bats were checked by reserve umpire Saiyed Khalid outside the playing arena and the former's bat failed the gauge test as the thickest part of his bat wouldn't pass through the gauge while Raghuvanshi's bat cleared the test.

As per its Appendix B – Equipment in T20I Playing Conditions document, a legal cricket bat should pass the gauge, whose dimensions are: 2.68 inches in total depth, 4.33 inches of width, and 1.61 inches of edges. The curve of a legal bat, as per the gauge, needs to be within 0.20 inches.

Later, when Andre Russell came out to bat in the 11th over, umpire Saidharshan Kumar administered the gauge test and the bat failed to pass through.

When Nortje walked out to bat at the end of the 15th over, his bat also failed the gauge test, which led to a brief pause in play. Substitute Rahmanullah Gurbaz was called in, carrying a selection of spare bats for Nortje.

While the replacement bat passed the test, Nortje didn’t get a chance to use it as Andre Russell was bowled on the very next delivery, and KKR were all out for just 95 in 15.1 overs.

During the double-header on Sunday, on-field umpires brought out a white, triangle-shaped plastic gauge and passed the bats of Shimron Hetmyer, Phil Salt and Hardik Pandya through it during Rajasthan Royals (RR) vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and the Delhi Capitals (DC) vs Mumbai Indians (MI) games in Jaipur and New Delhi, respectively.

Till IPL 2024, the checks of bats would be carried out by the fourth umpire with the help of a franchise’s team manager in the dressing room before a game would start, as batters carry either five or six bats in their kit bag.

(IANS)

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