BCCI introduces ‘Serious Injury Replacement’ rule for 2025-26 domestic season

BCCI introduced the new rule after Rishabh Pant’s injury in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has amended its playing conditions and introduced a new rule for the 2025-26 domestic season. The governing body has rolled out the “serious injury replacement” rule for the multi-day matches for the upcoming domestic season.

BCCI has taken a step in the aftermath of Rishabh Pant’s injury during the recently-concluded Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025. The left-handed batsman sustained an injury to his toe while batting in first innings of the fourth test in Manchester.

As a result, he was replaced by Dhruv Jurel behind the stumps; however, the latter was not allowed to bat. Later, Pant was ruled out of the fifth test due to a broken toe.

In the fifth test, England all-rounder Chris Woakes was ruled out of the match due to a shoulder injury. Hence, England were one player short in the bowling and batting in the final test, which they lost by six runs. Notably, he came out to bat in the second innings.

Due to Pant and Woakes’ incidents, talks of replacement for injured players became a hot topic of discussion throughout the series. While India head coach Gautam Gambhir welcomed the idea, England skipper Ben Stokes rubbished such a rule.

BCCI implements injury replacement rule for only multi-day games

Notably, the BCCI has now allowed injury replacement rule for only multi-day matches in the 2025-26 domestic season. Hence, the rule will not be part of the Vijay Hazare Trophy and the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. The rule will also be applicable in the Under-19 tournament, CK Nayudu Trophy.

Under the new rule, a like-for-like replacement for an injured player will be allowed. Moreover, the match referee will have the final decision on the matter after consulting with a doctor. The new rules were explained to umpires during the ongoing seminar in Ahmedabad.

Notably, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has not introduced such kind of rules yet in international cricket. They only allow a concussion substitute. However, BCCI’s domestic experiment will pave the way for wider discussions on the topic in international cricket.

Meanwhile, India’s domestic season 2025-26 will commence with the Duleep Trophy 2025-26 starting August 28. A total of six teams will compete in the tournament.

Serious injury replacement rule

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 fracture / deep cut / dislocation etc. The injury should render player unavailable for remainder of the match.

1.2.8.1.2 Onfield umpires shall be final authority do decide on extend of serious injury and allowability of Serious Injury Replacement. They may consult BCCI Match Referee and / or doctor available on 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 like-for-like replacement for the player who has sustained the serious injury.

1.2.8.1.3.5 In all circumstances 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 wicket-keeper is seriously injured and needs a replacement then Match Referee may allow a wicket-keeper from 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.

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