The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced changes to the ball use in One Day Internationals (ODIs) and concussion substitute protocols in men’s international cricket. These updates come into effect starting from various dates in June and July 2025 for Tests, ODIs, and T20Is.
Currently, ODIs require two new balls, one from each end. Under the new regulations, two new balls will still be used up to the end of the 34th over. Thereafter, the bowling side will select one of these balls to continue with for the remainder of the innings, from overs 35 to 50. This modification aims to “readdress the balance between bat and ball”, according to ICC statements.
For matches reduced to 25 overs or fewer before they begin, teams will only have one new ball for their innings. This update reflects ongoing efforts to maintain fairness among teams, balancing the advantages for both batting and bowling sides.
Changes to concussion protocols will also be introduced. Teams must now declare substitute players to the match referee before a game begins. These substitutes are categorised by their roles: one wicketkeeper, one batter, one seam bowler, one spin bowler, and one allrounder. This aims to avoid confusion, such as the situation earlier this year when India controversially replaced Shivam Dube with Harshit Rana during a T20I with England. Rana’s match-winning performance led to debates over the legitimacy of the substitution, which this new protocol hopes to mitigate.
In cases where a concussion substitute itself gets concussed, the match referee will decide on a replacement based on a like-for-like basis outside the pre-named list of players.
Another adjustment is the disallowance of fielders using the “bunny hop” technique outside the boundary rope to complete clean catches.
This suite of changes reflects the ICC’s ongoing commitment to ensure the game adapts to modern demands while preserving its core competitive balance. Ian Bishop and Cheteshwar Pujara have expressed optimism about these updates, underscoring the necessity for cricket to evolve continuously.
