In a landmark step for player safety, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has amended its playing conditions to allow “serious injury replacements” in multi-day domestic tournaments from the upcoming 2025-26 season.
The new provision will be trialled in competitions such as the Ranji Trophy, Duleep Trophy, Irani Cup, Col CK Nayudu Trophy (U-23) and Cooch Behar Trophy (U-19). However, it will not apply to white-ball tournaments like the Vijay Hazare Trophy or Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.
Triggered by Pant and Woakes injuries
The change follows incidents during the recent Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, where India’s Rishabh Pant fractured his toe and England’s Chris Woakes dislocated his shoulder. Both players continued batting through pain, sparking debate over the absence of a replacement option for serious injuries in Tests.
While the International Cricket Council (ICC) already allows substitutes in cases of concussion or Covid-19, no such provision exists globally for external injuries. The BCCI has now become the first full member board to pilot this rule in consultation with the ICC.
How the rule works
According to the new playing conditions, a player who suffers a fracture, dislocation, or deep cut from an external blow within the playing area, and is unable to continue, can be replaced by a like-for-like substitute.
The request must be submitted by the team manager on a standard form to the match referee, who will consult on-field umpires and a medical professional if needed.
The substitute must be from the nominated list of substitutes named at the toss (with special provision for wicketkeepers).
The replacement player will inherit all warnings, penalty time and suspensions of the injured player.
Both the original and replacement cricketer will be recorded as having played in the match for statistical purposes.
The final decision on whether the injury qualifies, and whether the replacement is genuinely like-for-like, rests with the BCCI match referee.
Divided opinions in the cricketing world
India head coach Gautam Gambhir has publicly backed the move, calling it essential to prevent teams from playing with “ten against eleven” in case of major injuries. England captain Ben Stokes, however, has opposed the idea, warning that the system could be misused and create “too many loopholes.”
The rule will come into immediate effect from the Duleep Trophy starting August 28, and will be closely monitored as part of the ICC’s pilot programme.
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