ICC implements massive rule changes for 2025-26 cricketing calendar

The International Cricket Council (ICC) is set to make major changes to some of the rules. Each format will have an amendment, which will be implemented in the 2025-26 cricketing season. While these rules will be enforced in Tests from June before the start of the WTC Cycle 2025-27, the amendment in ODIs and T20Is will come into force from July.

Since 2011, after the end of the ODI World Cup, the format has witnessed the usage of two new balls. But due to the concerns over the lack of reverse swing and spinners finding it hard to be in the game due to the faster nature of batting, the ICC has decided to bring back the rule of the single ball usage in ODIs, which was the case before 2011.

"There will be two new balls for overs 1 to 34. After over 34 is completed and prior to the start of over 35, the fielding team will choose one of the two balls to be used for overs 35 to 50. The chosen ball will be used at both ends for the remainder of the match (unless it needs to be changed)," the new directive states, which means that only one of the two new balls could be used by teams in the last 16 overs of the innings out of the 50 overs.

ICC's new rule changes and amendments

Apart from the usage of a single ball, in rain-affected games, if the match gets reduced to 25 or less number of overs, only one new ball will be given to both teams. There is also a change in the Concussion Substitute criteria. Under the new rules, a team will have to announce five players as their candidates to be concussion substitutes with different roles.

Teams will nominate a batter, a wicketkeeper, a spinner, a pacer, and an all-rounder as their concussion substitutes before the start of the match. However, if any of these get injured during the match, the match referee will have the power to allow a player outside of these five nominated players to be used as the new concussion substitutes, provided they are like-to-like in skill sets.

Additionally, some of the other rules, like clarity over using a DRS (Decision Review System) in a certain period of time, and completing a catch or saving a boundary near the boundary ropes, will have an amendment. However, details regarding them are not been given yet by the apex council and are expected to be made official in due course.

Additionally, some rules are likely to remain the same. For instance, if a ball gets damaged in the middle of an innings, it will be replaced by a ball in a similar condition. Interestingly, the ball which will be used in overs 35-50 will be considered in the replacement pool to avoid teams from using a ball to their advantage.

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