The International Cricket Council (ICC) has approved key changes to the playing conditions in men’s international cricket, including a revision to the two-ball rule in ODIs and updates to the concussion-substitute protocol.
These changes will come into effect from June 17 for Tests, July 2 for ODIs and July 10 for T20Is, according to espncricinfo.
Under the current ODI rules, two new balls are used from the start of the innings, one from each end. The revised conditions will maintain this approach only until the end of the 34th over. From the 35th over onwards, the bowling side must choose one of the two balls to be used from both ends for the remaining 16 overs.
The ICC stated that this adjustment is intended to “readdress the balance between bat and ball.”
In reduced-overs ODIs, specifically those shortened to 25 overs or fewer before the first innings begins, only one new ball will be used throughout the innings.
Meanwhile, concussion substitute protocols have also been updated. Teams will now have to declare a list of five substitute players to the match referee before the start of the game, categorised by role — one wicketkeeper, one batter, one seam bowler, one spin bowler and one allrounder.
The move aims to prevent ambiguity and ensure fair like-for-like replacements.
This change follows controversy from earlier this year, when India substituted batting allrounder Shivam Dube with bowling allrounder Harshit Rana during a T20I against England. Rana’s match-winning figures of 3/33 sparked debate over the fairness of the swap.
In the event that a concussion substitute also suffers a head injury, the match referee may allow a replacement from outside the nominated five, still adhering to the like-for-like criteria.
Additionally, fielding regulations have been clarified, with the MCC disallowing the previously permitted “bunny hop” beyond the boundary rope for completing catches, further tightening the definition of legal dismissals.