Covid-19 not only forced the world to think afresh but also changed the rules of the game of cricket. The cricket action will resume with England hosting West Indies in a three match test series but the game will be played with some new rules.
The International Cricket Council (ICC), the largest institution of cricket, banned the use of saliva on the ball with immediate effect on Tuesday. Its worth mentioning that saliva plays an important role in shining the ball, especially in test cricket. According to some former and current cricketers, ban of saliva will make it a batsman game alltogether and the bowlers will look way too ordinary. The decision from ICC comes only in the wake up of Covid 19 pandemic which has halted the world.
The rule states that an umpire can issue two warnings to the bowler for using saliva on the ball but the repeated breach of the rule would result in a five run penalty.
Substitution rule also come in force
The ICC has also approved like for like replacement in the longest version of the game and the rule states that- if a player is showing the symptoms of Covid 19 in a test match, the team is allowed to replace the player. Along with concussion replacement, the match referee will now approve like for like replacement during test match. This means that a bowler will be replaced by a bowler, a batsman will be replaced by a batsman and an all-rounder will be replaced by an all-rounder. The like for like replacement rule will not be applicable in T20 or ODI version of the game.
Another rule which ICC has implemented is appointment of locally based match officials instead of neutral umpires from a foreign country.
“The ICC Chief Executives’ Committee (CEC) ratified recommendations from the Anil Kumble-led Cricket Committee, aimed at mitigating the risks posed by the COVID-19 virus and protect the safety of players and match officials when cricket resumes,” ICC stated in the Press Release.
