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

New Delhi, Aug 16 (IANS) The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has introduced a ‘Serious Injury Replacement’ clause in the playing conditions for multi-day games in the upcoming 2025/26 domestic season. The rule will allow for like-for-like replacements for players ruled out of a match due to a serious injury.

The need for such a rule by the BCCI comes after some related happenings in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy series. India wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant fractured his right foot during the fourth Test in Manchester but still came out to bat in the first innings.

In the fifth Test at The Oval, England’s seam-bowling all-rounder Chris Woakes batted with his left arm in a sling after dislocating his shoulder while fielding on the opening day. As per a report in Cricbuzz, the match referee will be the final authority on the replacement rule after consulting a doctor on the extent and seriousness of the on-field injury.

"If a player sustains a serious injury during the course of the relevant match, a Serious Injury Replacement may be permitted in the following circumstances. The serious injury must have been sustained during play and within the playing area described in the clause," said the report, citing the newly-introduced rule under a new sub-head 'Serious Injury Replacement' in the Playing Conditions.

The report further said the latest playing conditions have been explained to the umpires in the ongoing umpires' seminar in Ahmedabad. “The BCCI said no such replacement will be allowed in white-ball cricket - Syed Mushtaq Ali or Vijay Hazare tournaments. It's yet to be seen if the rule will be permitted in the next season of the Indian Premier League (IPL), but the rule will stick in the multi-day Under-19 tournament for the CK Nayudu Trophy,” it added.

Full text of Serious Injury Replacement ruling

1.2.8.1 If a player sustains a serious injury during the course of the relevant match, a Serious Injury Replacement may be permitted in the following circumstances:

1.2.8.1.1 The serious injury must have been sustained during play and within the playing area described in clause

1.2.5.2 above. The injury must have occurred due to an external blow and result in a fracture / deep cut/dislocation, etc. The injury should render the player unavailable for the remainder of the match.

1.2.8.1.2 Onfield umpires shall be the final authority to decide on the extent of serious injury and allowability of Serious Injury Replacement. They may consult the BCCI Match Referee and/or the doctor available on the ground.

1.2.8.1.3 The Team Manager shall submit a Serious Injury Replacement Request to the BCCI Match Referee on a standard form, which shall:

1.2.8.1.3.1 Identify the player who has sustained the serious injury.

1.2.8.1.3.2 Specify the incident in which the serious injury was sustained, including the time at which it occurred.

1.2.8.1.3.3 confirm that the player has sustained a serious injury and will not be able to participate further in the match due to the injury; and

1.2.8.1.3.4 Identify the requested Serious Injury Replacement, who shall be a like-for-like replacement for the player who has sustained the serious injury.

1.2.8.1.3.5 In all circumstances, a serious injury replacement player shall be from nominated substitutes at the time of toss (For Col C K Nayudu Trophy from the time of nomination of players). Only in the case where the wicket-keeper is seriously injured and needs a replacement, then the Match Referee may allow a wicket-keeper from a player outside the nominated substitutes if there is no wicket-keeper in the nominated substitutes.

1.2.8.2 The Serious Injury Replacement Request must be submitted to the BCCI Match Referee as soon as possible after the incident specified in clause 1.2.8.1.3.2 if a Serious Injury Replacement is to be permitted.

1.2.8.3 The BCCI Match Referee should ordinarily approve a Serious Injury Replacement Request if the replacement is a like-for-like player whose inclusion will not excessively advantage his team for the remainder of the match.

1.2.8.4 In assessing whether the nominated Serious Injury Replacement should be considered a like-for-like player, the BCCI Match Referee should consider the likely role that the seriously injured player would have played during the remainder of the match, and the normal role that would be performed by the nominated Serious Injury Replacement.

1.2.8.5 If the BCCI Match Referee believes that the inclusion of the nominated Serious Injury Replacement, when performing their normal role, would excessively advantage their team, the BCCI Match Referee may impose such conditions upon the identity and involvement of the Serious Injury Replacement as he/she sees fit, in line with the overriding objective of facilitating a like-for-like replacement for the seriously injured player.

For clarity, a Serious Injury Replacement will inherit all warnings, penalty time, and suspensions that were imposed on the replaced player.

1.2.8.6 The BCCI Match Referee may, in reviewing a Serious Injury Replacement Request made in accordance with clause 1.2.8.1.3, request any such further information as may be required in order to make the determination required under clauses 1.2.8.4 and 1.2.8.5.

1.2.8.7 The decision of the BCCI Match Referee in relation to any Serious Injury Replacement Request shall be final and neither team shall have any right of appeal.

1.2.8.8 Once the Serious Injury Replacement has been approved by the BCCI Match Referee, the replaced player shall take no further part in the match.

1.2.8.9 Both the Serious Injury Replacement and the replaced player shall be considered to have played in the match for records and statistical purposes.

--IANS

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