The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced a comprehensive set of rule changes impacting all formats of men’s international cricket, including Test matches, One Day Internationals (ODIs), and the Decision Review System (DRS). While the changes in Test playing conditions have already taken effect with the start of the 2025–27 World Test Championship (WTC) cycle, white-ball rule modifications will be implemented from July 2.
Stop Clock Introduced in Test Cricket
Following its success in limited-overs formats, the stop clock will now regulate over rates in Test matches. Fielding sides must begin a new over within 60 seconds of completing the previous one. Umpires can issue up to two warnings, after which a five-run penalty will be enforced. The warning count will reset every 80 overs.
Saliva Use and Ball Change Rule Updated
While the ban on saliva remains, umpires are no longer mandated to change the ball if saliva is applied unintentionally. Instead, they will assess whether the ball’s condition has visibly changed. If the ball appears unaffected, play will continue with a five-run penalty awarded to the batting side. No further replacement will occur, even if the ball later behaves unusually.
DRS Overhaul: Secondary Dismissals and Review Order
In a notable update to the DRS protocol:
- If a batter is given out caught, and replays show no contact with the bat, but the ball brushes the pad, the original “out” decision will carry over to an LBW review. If the ball-tracking result is an umpire’s call, the batter will remain out.
- When a delivery is under multiple reviews (e.g., LBW and run-out), decisions will now be assessed in chronological order of the events. If the first review results in a dismissal, any subsequent appeal becomes irrelevant.
Catch Legality Will Be Assessed on No-Balls
Under the revised rules, the fairness of a catch will still be checked even if the delivery is deemed a no-ball. If the catch is clean, only the no-ball run will be awarded. If not, batters can retain any runs completed.
Deliberate Short Runs to Attract Penalties
The ICC has introduced stricter penalties for deliberate short runs. If a batter intentionally avoids completing a run to gain an advantage, umpires can penalise the batting side with five runs, and the fielding captain can choose who faces the next delivery. However, if there is no intent to deceive, the incident will not be treated as deliberate.
Trial of Full-Time Injury Substitutes in Domestic Cricket
Member boards have been encouraged to trial full-time injury substitutes in domestic first-class competitions for players suffering external injuries. Like-for-like replacements will be allowed only for visible, serious injuries, similar to current concussion protocols. The rule excludes minor or muscular injuries.
ODI Format Tweaks: One Ball and Boundary Law Revision
From July 2, ODIs will revert to using a single ball from the 35th over onwards, instead of using two new balls throughout the innings. This change is expected to reintroduce reverse swing and assist spinners during the death overs.
Additionally, wording in the boundary catch law has been clarified to align with the Spirit of Cricket, reducing confusion over airborne or boundary-line interventions.