The International Cricket Council (ICC) has introduced a series of changes to the playing conditions for men’s international cricket, impacting all formats — Tests, One Day Internationals (ODIs), and T20 Internationals (T20Is). These changes will take effect from July 2.

Stop Clock Now Official in All Formats

One of the major updates is the formal adoption of the stop clock rule in Test cricket, having already been implemented in limited-overs formats. Fielding sides will now be required to start a new over within 60 seconds of the previous over’s completion.

Umpires will issue two warnings for slow play. On a third violation, the bowling side will be penalized five runs. These warnings will reset after every 80 overs. The countdown will be shown from 0 to 60 seconds, aiming to speed up the game and curb time-wasting tactics.

Revised Saliva Rule

While the use of saliva to shine the ball remains banned, umpires are no longer required to replace the ball immediately if saliva is accidentally applied. Instead, they will evaluate whether the ball’s condition has materially changed.

If there’s no noticeable change and the ball behaves normally, play will continue. However, if the ball subsequently exhibits unnatural behavior, the batting side will be awarded five penalty runs, though the ball will not be replaced.

DRS Protocols Adjusted

Several key modifications have been made to the Decision Review System (DRS):

• Multiple Mode Reviews: If a batter is given out caught and the review shows no edge but ball-tracking returns an “umpire’s call” for lbw, the batter will still be considered out, as the original decision was “out.”
• Sequence of Reviews: In cases involving multiple potential dismissals (e.g., lbw followed by a run-out), the reviews will now be processed in the order events occurred, rather than giving priority to the umpire’s review.
• Catch Review on No-Ball: If a no-ball is called during a potential catch, the legitimacy of the catch will still be reviewed. If it’s clean, only the no-ball run will be added. If not, the batting side will be awarded any completed runs.

Harsher Penalties for Deliberate Short Runs

The ICC is cracking down on intentional short runs. Alongside the five-run penalty, umpires will now allow the fielding captain to choose which batter stays on strike if deception is detected.

As per Rule 18.5.1:
A deliberate short run is when batters appear to run multiple runs, but one intentionally fails to make their ground at one end to gain an advantage.
Batters are still allowed to abandon runs as long as there’s no intent to deceive.

Trial of Full-Time Injury Replacements in First-Class Matches

In a move to better manage player safety, the ICC has encouraged member boards to trial full-time player replacements in domestic first-class matches, for injuries caused by external forces — such as being struck by a ball.

These replacements must be like-for-like, similar to current concussion protocols. The rule won’t apply to soft-tissue injuries like muscle strains and will only be implemented at the discretion of each cricket board.

These updates are part of the ICC’s ongoing efforts to enhance fairness, safety, and pace in the modern game. As the new rules roll out, teams and players will need to adapt quickly ahead of a busy international cricket calendar.