The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will start a new rule in the 2025-26 domestic season. This rule is about serious injuries, other than concussion, during a match. Now, a player can be replaced in the middle of the match if he has a serious injury.
The BCCI made this decision after Rishabh Pant and Chris Woakes got serious injuries in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. The ICC rule says players cannot be replaced for any injury except a concussion. But the injuries of Pant and Woakes in the middle of the match started a discussion about making a new rule. Rishabh Pant broke his toe in the fourth match against England. Chris Woakes got injured while fielding and hurt his shoulder badly.
Criteria for BCCI’s Injury Replacement Rule
- The injury must happen inside the field of play.
- The injury must be caused by an external blow, like fractures or deep cuts.
- The player must be unable to play for the rest of the match.
How the Rule Will Work
- The team manager will submit a replacement for the injured player and explain what happened.
- The umpires, match referee, and field doctor will check if the replacement is allowed.
- The referee will confirm if the player can be replaced with a like-for-like player to keep the game fair.
Who Can Replace the Injured Player
- The captain will nominate players for replacement at the toss. He can choose one of them to replace the injured player.
- For wicketkeepers, if there is no backup among the nominated players, the captain can choose one player from outside.
When and Where the Rule Will Apply
- The new rule will apply in India’s red-ball domestic competitions, like the CK Nayudu Trophy for Under-19 players.
- It will be used for the first time in the Duleep Trophy starting August 28.
- White-ball tournaments, like the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy or Vijay Hazare Trophy, are not included in this rule.