The domestic cricket season in India is gearing up to start on Friday, October 11, with the much-anticipated Ranji Trophy. In preparation, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced several significant updates to the playing conditions that will affect teams across all formats.
One of the most notable changes involves the retirement of batters. According to the BCCI’s new guidelines, if a batter retires for any reason unrelated to injury, they will be immediately considered out. This means that even if the opposing captain consents, the batter cannot return to bat in that innings. The official communication to state teams issued on Thursday states, “25.4.3 Batter retiring for any reason other than injury, illness or unavoidable cause: He will be considered as dismissed immediately on retirement and will NOT have the option of returning to bat even with the consent of the opposing captain.” This rule applies to all BCCI domestic matches, including both multi-day and limited-over formats, and even in Super Over situations.
On the bowling front, a new policy has been introduced regarding the application of saliva on the ball. If a team is found using saliva, the ball must be replaced immediately, along with the imposition of penalties.
Additionally, the BCCI has revised the rule on aborting a run. Under the new guidelines, if batters decide to abort a run after crossing but a boundary results from an overthrow before they have re-crossed, only a boundary score of four will be awarded. This adjustment aligns with the agreement made during the ICC T20 World Cup 2024.
Changes have also been made regarding the CK Nayudu competition and the allocation of points. The revised rules detail two scenarios:
- Scenario 1: If Team ‘A’ bats first and scores 398 runs in 98 overs before being all out, they will receive 4 batting points. If Team ‘A’ is awarded 5 penalty runs while fielding, their total score will rise to 403 runs in 98 overs, resulting in 5 batting points.
- Scenario 2: If Team ‘A’ bats first and scores 398 runs in 100.1 overs, they will still receive 4 batting points. If Team ‘A’ is awarded 5 penalty runs, their total score will increase to 403 runs in 100.1 overs, but they will not receive the additional batting point.
With these changes, the BCCI aims to enhance the competitiveness and integrity of domestic cricket as the Ranji Trophy season begins.
