What Changes Has the ICC Made to Playing Conditions?

Dubai, June 27 (NationPress) The International Cricket Council (ICC) has unveiled a series of updates regarding the regulations on ball usage in ODIs, boundary catches, and concussion substitutes applicable to both Test and limited-overs formats. A noteworthy change aimed at enhancing the pace of the game and maintaining over rates is the introduction of a stop clock for the longest format of the game.

The stop clock, previously trialed successfully in white-ball cricket, is now a standard feature in Test cricket. Fielding teams must initiate a new over within 60 seconds of finishing the prior one. Non-compliance will result in penalties, with two warnings issued per innings, followed by a five-run penalty for each subsequent infringement. These warnings will reset after every 80 overs, coinciding with the introduction of a new ball.

This adjustment aims to minimize delays and promote quicker over rates, which have long been a concern in Test cricket.

In One Day Internationals, the use of two balls will be restricted to the initial 34 overs. The fielding team will then choose one of those balls for the remaining 16 overs.

New regulations dictate that any fielder making airborne contact with the ball beyond the boundary must completely land within the field of play to validate a catch. If they step out and leap again, they can only contact the ball once more before landing inside the field.

Teams will now be required to pre-nominate concussion substitutes. Furthermore, any player diagnosed with a concussion must adhere to a minimum seven-day stand-down period before returning to play.

To assist bowlers who observe batters moving during a delivery, a new wide ball rule will be trialed in limited-overs formats.

Under these new rules, the batter’s leg position at the moment of delivery will serve as the reference point for wide calls, even if the batter later shifts towards the off side.

In this trial, a delivery that crosses the popping crease between the leg stump and the protected area marker will not be deemed a wide. The protected area marker line will be extended to the popping crease to guide umpires.

Any leg-side delivery that travels behind the batter’s legs and outside the line when the ball reaches the popping crease may still be ruled as wide.

Previously, a wide was called on deliveries that wouldn't have been deemed wide had the batter maintained their standard batting position.

The Decision Review System Zone (DRS) will now utilize the actual physical outline of the stumps and bails as the wicket zone, enhancing the precision of LBW decisions.

In addition to the existing five-run penalty for a deliberate short run, the fielding team will also designate which of the two batters will take strike for the next delivery.

In domestic first-class cricket, a player suffering a severe injury on the field after the match has commenced (including any pre-match warm-up) can be replaced for the remainder of the match by a fully participating like-for-like player.

The new Test regulations are already in effect, having made their debut in the Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh Test on June 17.

The updated playing conditions for ODIs and T20Is will be implemented during the same series, starting with the first of three ODIs on July 2, followed by a three-match T20I series from July 10. All Test, ODI, and T20I matches post these dates will adhere to the new playing conditions.