Phil Salt's bat deemed legal after initially failing 'gauge test' in IPL

Business Standard

09-07-2025

England white-ball opener Phil Salt's bat, which he used in the last two years including in the Indian Premier League, was initially deemed "to have failed an on-field gauge test" but later cleared after further examination, his club said.
The 28-year-old Salt currently plays for Lancashire. He played a major role in Royal Challenger Bengaluru's maiden IPL title win earlier in the year, scoring 403 runs from 13 matches, the second highest for his team after Virat Kohli (657 from 15 matches).
Lancashire Cricket in a statement said that the bat used by Salt during Friday's Vitality Blast T20 match against Northants Steelbacks has been cleared by the Cricket Regulator's Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU).
"Salt was alleged to have breached ECB Directives 3.2 and 3.3, after his bat failed an on-field bat-gauge test during the Vitality Blast fixture. It is a bat that he has used for the last two years for England, Lancashire and in the IPL with no issue," the club said in the statement.
During the first over of Lancashire Lightning's run chase, an umpire conducted an on-field bat gauge test, as part of an assurance process undertaken to check the sizes of a bat being used. To pass the test, the bat must fit through a gauge of the specified size.
"Salt's bat did not pass through the gauge on the field and was therefore deemed to have failed the test, and in further tests carried out after the match, it was deemed inconclusive despite the bat fitting through the gauge on several occasions.
"The Club and player felt this should have been the end of the matter, but the officials felt it necessary for the bat to be taken away for further testing," the club said.
"Following this evidential testing process undertaken by the Cricket Regulator, the bat was found to be compliant with the Regulations - and the Club and player have been informed that no further action will be taken." The club said the "whole process could have been avoided with improved processes on and off the field, whether that be through better equipment and/or additional training".
"Following the incident there have been inappropriate comments made by match commentators, inaccurate articles written in the media and some unsavoury social media posts towards the player, that could have been avoided." Cricket Regulator, the body established by the ECB and responsible for monitoring and enforcing the game's regulations, said Salt's bat was subject to an on-field test and it did not pass the initial test during the July 4 match between Northamptonshire and Lancashire.
"Following standard practice the bat was then subject to a post-match test, the results of which were inconclusive," it said.
"On 7th July, the Cricket Regulator investigated the matter and found the bat to be compliant with the regulations. Accordingly no further action will be taken against the player or Lancashire in this matter." Salt has so far played 33 ODIs after making debut in 2021, scoring 988 runs at an average of 31.87 with one hundred. He has featured in 43 T20Is from which he has scored 1193 runs with three centuries at an average of 34.08 and strike rate of 164.32.