An unusual incident happened during the Rajasthan Royals vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 match at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur when the on-field umpires were seen checking the bats of various batters. During the Rajasthan Royals' innings, wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel got out, and hard-hitter Shimron Hetmyer walked out to bat. Surprisingly, the on-field umpires used a sort of contraption to check the width of the bat (edges) of Shimron Hetmyer. Rare in Cricket! Umpire Stops Play To Check Widths of Shimron Hetmyer and Devdutt Padikkal's Bats During RR vs RCB IPL 2025 Match (Watch Video). A similar incident happened when Royal Challengers Bengaluru batter Devdutt Padikkal came out to bat after Phil Salt's dismissal. It was the first time many fans would have seen this when on-field umpires checked the bats in the Indian Premier League. Although it looked like a routine check from the umpires – whether a player's bat is following the IPL guidelines or not. However, fans are left wondering what the exact rules and regulations mentioned in the IPL playing conditions are. Why Are Bats Being Checked by Umpires in IPL? There are certain "bat size restrictions" mentioned in the Indian Premier League conditions under section 5.7. According to the law, a bat (including the handle) must not exceed 38 inches (96.52 cm) in total length. The blade's width should be at 4.25 inches (10.8 cm) with depth restricted to 2.64 inches (6.7 cm). The edges are not allowed to exceed 1.56 inches (4.0 cm). The handle should not be more than 52% of the bat's overall length. Additionally, the covering materials must stay within 0.04 inches (0.1 cm). The toe protection in the bat should stay still 0.12 inches (0.3 cm) in thickness. The bat must pass through an official bat gauge, which umpires verify to see whether a batter is following the guidelines or not. Royal Challengers Bengaluru Beat Rajasthan Royals By Nine Wickets in IPL 2025; Phil Salt, Virat Kohli Fifties Help RCB Maintain Superb Away Form. Umpire Checks Shimron Hetmyer, Devdutt Padikkal's Bats Wait, what just happened? A mid-game bat check caught everyone off guard including Comm Box!#IPLonJioStar 👉 #DCvMI | LIVE NOW on Star Sports Network & JioHotstar! pic.twitter.com/nP7SGvFHI2 — Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) April 13, 2025 Is There Any Penalty if a Player Fails To Follow IPL Rules for Bats? These checks by the on-field umpires do not carry any penalties under the Indian Premier League rules. If a player fails to follow the rules, then umpires will instruct the batter to switch his bat. When on-field umpires checked Shimron Hetmyer's and Devdutt Padikkal's bats, both cricketers passed the check, and the play resumed without any further delay.