6 traditional cricket rules ICC should look to change

The game of Cricket is no longer played the way it was initially started. A hundred and forty-five years since the first-ever international match was played, cricket has evolved into a sport loved by many across the globe.

Established in 1909, the Imperial Cricket Board, presently, the International Cricket Council (ICC), was created to formulate a set of rules and regulations for the sport and also serve as a governing body for international matches. From three teams, in the beginning, the sport has expanded to 105 members which are associated with the council. However, with changing times, the rules must adapt to new circumstances. Hence, here is a list of-

6 cricket rules ICC should be looking to change

1. Naming the concussion substitute 

The cricketing world saw the young Aussie – Marnus Labuschagne walk up to the crease during a Test match (England vs Australia) in 2019, scripting his name as the first concussion substitute of the sport. While this concept had often been spoken about, it came into effect when Steven Smith suffered a blow from Jofra Archer in that match.

A concussion substitute is essentially a replacement for the player who suffered a concussion. This replacement is no less than any other player in the XI, who can bat, field and bowl as well. This sets the concussion substitute apart from a regular substitute. The rule was drafted into the ICC’s rule book in 2019 keeping in mind the increased danger that head injuries posed. While the ICC had taken a step in the right direction, this rule has come under scrutiny in recent times.

A concussion substitute is a way to help the team overcome and cover up for the concussed player services. However, exploiting this advantage by bringing in a specialist finisher during the final stages of a match, or a spinner at a spinning deck is certainly against the spirit of the game. While this means getting a like-for-like replacement for the concussed player, India during its T20I against Australia in 2020 got Yuzvendra Chahal, a match-winning spinner to replace the all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja during their bowling innings. It ignited controversy as Jadeja didn’t take a concussion test at the time he suffered the blow, but was replaced after the end of the innings under unusual circumstances.

Moreover, this rule doesn’t stop teams from taking advantage in a big tournament like the World cup and changing strategies as per the situation of the match. Therefore, to overcome this, the ICC should look into the rule and make it mandatory for the concussion substitutes to be named while the teams announce their playing XI, only to level the playing field for both the teams.