The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has introduced a new rule that will change the way domestic cricket is played in the country. Starting this season, if a player suffers a serious injury during a multi-day domestic match, he can be replaced by another player of similar skill and role. This rule is known as the “like-for-like injury replacement.” It will apply to both senior and junior multi-day tournaments.
The decision was made after injuries to key players raised concerns in the cricketing world. During the recently concluded Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy Test series between India and England, wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant and England’s all-rounder Chris Woakes were injured. Pant suffered a foot fracture while attempting a reverse sweep, while Woakes dislocated his shoulder while fielding. These incidents reignited the debate on whether replacements should be allowed when players get seriously injured in the middle of a match.
According to the new rules shared with state associations, a replacement can be made if a player sustains a serious injury during play and becomes unavailable for the rest of the match. The injury should be caused by an external blow and must result in conditions such as a fracture, dislocation, or deep cut. Once the injury is confirmed, the team can ask for a like-for-like replacement. This means the substitute must be similar to the injured player in terms of skill and role, for example, a batsman for a batsman or a wicketkeeper for a wicketkeeper.
The rule will be seen for the first time in the Duleep Trophy, which begins on August 28, and also in the U-19 CK Nayudu Trophy. Cricket experts believe it is an important step towards protecting players while ensuring teams do not lose balance due to unavoidable injuries.
Rishabh Pant’s case is a good example. Although he managed to bat with his injury during the Test match at Old Trafford, he was unable to keep wickets. In his place, Dhruv Jurel had to step in as a substitute wicketkeeper. This situation highlighted the need for a formal injury replacement rule.
The cricket world, however, has mixed opinions. Indian head coach Gautam Gambhir supported the idea, saying that injuries are part of the game but teams should not be forced to play at a disadvantage. On the other hand, England’s Test captain Ben Stokes felt that replacements could change the spirit of the contest.
The BCCI has already been allowing concussion substitutes in domestic cricket, following international standards. But this new move will extend the idea to other types of injuries that occur during matches.
Cricket is a sport that requires long hours on the field, and injuries are unavoidable. With this step, the BCCI hopes to ensure fair competition while giving injured players enough time to recover without putting pressure on the team. Fans, players, and coaches will be keenly watching how this rule plays out in the upcoming tournaments.
