BCCI to introduce ‘Serious Injury Replacement’ rule for 2025/26 domestic season

New Delhi, Aug 16: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has introduced a new ‘Serious Injury Replacement’ clause in the playing conditions for multi-day matches in the upcoming 2025/26 domestic season.
The provision will permit like-for-like replacements for players who suffer significant on-field injuries that rule them out of the remainder of a match.
The move comes in the wake of recent incidents in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, where India’s Rishabh Pant batted despite fracturing his right foot and England’s Chris Woakes continued with a dislocated shoulder.
According to a report in Cricbuzz, the match referee, after consulting medical personnel, will be the final authority in approving any such replacement.
The new clause specifies that the injury must occur during play, within the playing area, and result from an external blow causing fractures, deep cuts, or dislocations.
Team managers will need to submit a formal request identifying the injured player, the incident, and the proposed substitute.
The replacement must be from the list of nominated substitutes at the toss, except in the case of wicketkeepers, where an exception may be made.
Umpires will have the discretion to assess the seriousness of the injury on-field, while the match referee will decide whether the replacement is genuinely “like-for-like” to avoid giving any undue advantage. Both the injured player and the replacement will be considered part of the match for official records.
The rule, explained to officials during the ongoing umpires’ seminar in Ahmedabad, will be applicable only in multi-day tournaments such as the CK Nayudu Trophy. No such provision will be allowed in white-ball domestic events like the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy or the Vijay Hazare Trophy.
Its future inclusion in the Indian Premier League (IPL) remains uncertain.
The introduction of the ‘Serious Injury Replacement’ clause marks another step in BCCI’s ongoing efforts to modernise domestic cricket in line with global best practices, while also addressing the welfare of players who often push through pain to fulfil their team commitments. The rule not only provides clarity in unprecedented situations but also ensures that a side is not left significantly weakened due to accidents beyond its control, particularly in a format where time and resources are stretched over multiple days. By formalising a framework that clearly outlines the responsibilities of umpires, referees, and team management, the BCCI has attempted to strike a balance between fairness and competitiveness, while maintaining the integrity of the contest. At the same time, the decision to limit this provision to red-ball competitions highlights the board’s caution in preventing misuse in the fast-paced formats of the game, where replacements could heavily influence outcomes.
While it remains to be seen whether the clause will find its way into marquee tournaments like the Indian Premier League, the move signals that player safety and practicality are gaining priority in cricket’s evolving rulebook. For now, the domestic season will serve as a testing ground, and the effectiveness of the rule will depend not just on its enforcement, but also on how teams, players, and officials adapt to its implementation. What is certain, however, is that the BCCI has sent a strong message—that the health and longevity of players cannot be compromised, even if it means rewriting the playing conditions of the sport. (Agencies)