Cricket Australia to trial injury subs in Sheffield Shield with a twist; Eye to use in test cricket in future

This initiative reflects Australia’s growing openness to modernising long-form cricket.

Cricket Australia (CA) will trial a fresh injury substitution system during the first five rounds of the upcoming Sheffield Shield season, designed to let both teams respond tactically while keeping the contest balanced.

Under this rule, if a player suffers an injury or illness after the toss, the team can request a like-for-like replacement — such as a batter for a batter or a fast bowler for another fast bowler — subject to the approval of the match referee. This differs from existing models, like India’s, which only permit substitutions for external injuries sustained during play.

What sets Australia’s experiment apart is the “tactical twist.” If one team makes an injury substitution, the opposition may also be allowed to bring in a tactical replacement of the same player type by the end of day two.

Opposition allowed to make a tactical sub in response to injury sub made by the other team

For instance, if Team A replaces a fast bowler, Team B may also swap a fast bowler, but cannot switch a batter or spinner purely for strategic gain. Referees also have the power to limit a substitute’s role, such as restricting them from bowling if the original player had not bowled.

Additionally, any player who is substituted out must observe a mandatory 12-day “non-playing” period beginning on day two of that match. To manage logistics, teams will still be restricted to 12 travelling players (13 for Western Australia).

If the designated 12th man is not a suitable replacement, an additional player can be flown in within the first two days of an away game.

All matches in this trial will retain first-class status, with CA set to gather feedback from state associations before considering extensions or adjustments for rounds six and seven.

This initiative reflects Australia’s growing openness to modernising long-form cricket. Should it succeed, it could establish a fairer framework for introducing injury substitutions at the test level, balancing player welfare with the integrity of competition.

For more updates, follow Khel Now Cricket on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Whatsapp & Telegram.