By Ravi - May 31, 2025 04:19 PM
The much-awaited World Test Championship (WTC) 2025 final between Australia and South Africa will kick off at the Lord's Cricket Ground on June 11. Just ahead of the big clash, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has introduced new cricket rules aimed at making the game more exciting and strategically balanced.
These rules will apply to both Test and ODI formats, including major updates regarding concussion substitutes and the use of the ball in ODIs.
According to a report in Cricbuzz, the new rules will come into effect from the first Test match of the new WTC cycle, which begins on June 17 between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh in Galle.
Teams will now have to name five substitute players before each match.
These substitutes must cover specific roles:If a substitute player is injured, the match referee may approve a replacement under the current like-for-like policy depending on the situation.
Two new balls will be used from Overs 1 to 34 - one from each end. Before the start of Over 35, the fielding team will select one of the two balls from either end for the remainder of the innings.
This selected ball will continue to be played until it becomes unfit for play.
If the innings is 25 overs or less before the start of the innings, each team will receive only one new ball for their innings.
There will be two new balls from the 1st to the 34th over. Before the 35th over, the fielding team will choose one of them and continue playing with it until the end of the innings. If there are 25 overs or less left before the match resumes, each team will be given only one new ball.
Also Read: How many times has the team that lost the Qualifier-1 reached the final in IPL
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