India, March 10 -- The Union Health Ministry has issued an important letter to the Indian Premier League, ahead of IPL 2025, to ban all tobacco and alcohol promotions, which also includes surrogate advertisements.

IPL 2025 is set to start from March 22, 2025, and in a letter to chairman Arun Dhumal, Director General of Health Services Atul Goel urged cricketers to not be directly or indirectly involved in any form of tobacco or alcohol advertising.

The Director General wrote, "IPL should strictly implement the regulations banning all forms of tobacco/alcohol advertising, including surrogate advertisements, within the stadium promises where the games and related IPL games/events are held as well as during telecast sessions on national te...