ICC Announces Major Changes to Men’s Cricket Laws Across All Formats
International Cricket Council (ICC)** has announced significant changes to the rules governing all three formats of men’s cricket—Test, One Day International (ODI), and T20—following recommendations from the ICC Men’s Cricket Committee and approval from the Chief Executives’ Committee. The new regulations aim to restore balance between bat and ball in the game.
### Key Changes to ICC Cricket Laws:
#### 1. **ODI Cricket’s Major Change: Modified Use of Two New Balls**
The most important change in ODIs pertains to the use of two new balls. Previously, two new balls were used from both ends throughout the entire innings. However, under the new rules:
* **For the first 34 overs of the innings**, two new balls will still be used from both ends.
* After the **34th over**, the bowling team will choose one of these two balls to continue using until the **50th over**.
* In case of **ODI matches of 25 overs or fewer**, only one ball will be used.
This change will benefit bowlers, particularly in the death overs, as the new balls’ lack of reverse swing will be reduced, giving the bowlers a better chance to generate movement.
#### 2. **Introduction of the ‘Connection Substitute’ Policy**
A new rule has been introduced where:
* Each team must nominate **five substitute players** before the start of any international match, including one **wicketkeeper**, one **batter**, one **fast bowler**, one **spin bowler**, and one **all-rounder**.
* In the event that any of these substitute players gets injured during the match, a replacement player who was **not already on the five-player substitute list** may be added with permission from the match referee.
This change applies to all three formats of men’s cricket (Test, ODI, and T20).
### When Will These New Rules Be Implemented?
* The new rules will be **enforced from June 17 for Test matches**, **July 2 for ODIs**, and **July 10 for T20 matches**.
These changes aim to enhance the competitiveness and fairness of the game, promoting balance between bat and ball and ensuring better preparedness in teams.
