Kolkata Knight Riders Cricketers Sunil Narine and Anrich Nortje’s bats failed the gauge test during the IPL 2025 game against Punjab Kings in Mullanpur on April 15.
Before the KKR’s unsuccessful chase of PBKS 111, the bats of some of the KKR batters were checked by reserve umpire Saiyed Khalid outside the playing arena. Both Narine and Nortje were required to change their bats before taking strike in the middle.
The Kolkata Knight Riders pair are among the first players to fail the bat size checks in IPL 2025.
While the bat size checks were common practice in previous IPL seasons, the BCCI introduced on-field inspections to ensure greater vigilance. As batters often carry multiple bats, it was not always guaranteed that the bat brought onto the field was the one that had passed the mandatory check.
Sunil Narine’s bat was found to be oversized before the start of KKR’s chase, when the West Indies all-rounder was gtearing up to open the innings.
On the other hand Anrich Nortje’s bat was inspected on the field by the on-field umpires after he walked out to bat in the 16th over of the chase. KKR was struggling with 95 for 9 when Nortje, making his debut for the side, ame out with a bat that failed the mandatory size check.
He was asked to replace it and television footage showed substitue fielder Rahmanullah Gurbaz bringing out a compliant bat after Nortje’s original one failed the gauge test.
However, Nortje did not get the opportunity to use the new bat, as he was left stranded at the non-striker’s ende when KKR’s final wicket, Andre Russell fell on the first ball of the 16th over.
KKR has only three wins in seven games and secured 6th position of the IPL 2025 points table. Kolkata will play their next game against Gujarat Titans on April 21 at Eden Gardens.
