A new policy for women cricketers caught the attention of Bollywood this week. Deepika Padukone, who is expecting her second child with husband Ranveer Singh, took to Instagram Stories on Tuesday to back the International Cricket Council’s newly released post-pregnancy return-to-play guidelines. She called it “a landmark moment for women in sport.”
What the ICC guidelines say
The ICC launched its Return to Play Post-Pregnancy Guidelines on June 22, 2026, during a rest day at the Women’s T20 World Cup being played in England. The guidelines are aimed at providing female players, national boards, medical staff, and coaches with a practical reference to support mothers returning to cricket after pregnancy and childbirth.
Central to the framework is a six-stage model known as the 6 Rs: Ready, Review, Restore, Recondition, Return and Refine. The process covers the period immediately after childbirth, medical assessments, wellbeing reviews, progressive training plans, cricket-specific preparation, a return to competition, and ongoing monitoring once players re-enter the professional setup.
The guidelines suggest that cricket boards provide flexible training environments and continued access to medical facilities. The ICC also emphasises the need for advice on childcare and travel assistance for mothers and babies. Playing venues are also expected to provide suitable spaces for feeding or caring for babies.
The ICC also recommends that each player have a dedicated Case Manager, usually a physiotherapist or doctor, who coordinates support services and ensures that all decisions are made with the health of the mother and baby as a priority.
On the question of disclosure, the player has the full right to announce her pregnancy at the time she prefers. Member boards may not require players to undergo pregnancy testing.
Deepika’s reaction
Deepika shared a report about the initiative on her Instagram Stories and wrote, “A landmark moment for women in sport @icc.”
Her support comes at a time when Deepika has been vocal about work conditions in the film industry. The actress had earlier demanded an eight-hour shift to strike a balance between work and personal life. Speaking to CNBC-TV18, she said, “By virtue of being a woman if that’s coming across as being pushy or whatever, then so be it. But it is no secret that a lot of superstars, male superstars in the Indian film industry, have been working for 8 hours for years and it’s never made headlines.”
Deepika and Ranveer’s growing family
In April this year, Deepika and Ranveer announced that they are expecting their second child together. The couple made the announcement by sharing a picture of their daughter Dua holding a pregnancy test kit showing a positive result.
Deepika and Ranveer got married at Lake Como, Italy in November 2018. Their first daughter, Dua, was born in 2024.
On the work front, Deepika will be seen starring alongside Shah Rukh Khan in Siddharth Anand’s ‘King’.