BCCI Makes Five Changes To Playing Conditions Ahead of 2026-27 Domestic Season
The BCCI has made a significant change to the playing conditions ahead of the 2026-27 domestic season
- The BCCI has made a significant change to the playing conditions ahead of the 2026-27 domestic season
- Last over must be completed even if a wicket falls during that over of play
- Teams cannot declare or forfeit the final innings of a match under new rules
The BCCI has made a significant change to the playing conditions ahead of the 2026-27 domestic season. Now, a bowler will be suspended for the remainder of the match for bowling deliberate front-foot no-balls or non-landing deliveries. As per the existing rules, the bowler would have been suspended only for that particular innings for such deliveries. The BCCI has circulated the changes, recently mooted by the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), among all the state associations.
"Bowler suspended for deliberate front-foot no-ball cannot bowl in the whole match. ...But the change to the playing conditions (41.8) will be decided by the on-field umpires," the BCCI said in the circular, accessed by PTI.
2nd Rule Change
Another significant rule change pertains to the close of play. Now, the last over must be completed even if a wicket falls during that over.
At present, stumps are drawn if a wicket falls in the middle of the last over of the day.
However, the MCC, and consequently the BCCI, felt that Rule 12.5.2 needed to be amended as it "prevented teams from sending a new batter out late in the day."
3rd Rule Change
Similarly, teams will henceforth not be permitted to declare or forfeit (Rule 15.2) the final innings of a match, as the governing bodies believed it was "used for contrived results and was bad for the game."
4th Rule Change
The head coach of a team will now be allowed to enter the field during drinks breaks in domestic one-day matches, as the ICC has also proposed a similar rule change in international cricket.
5th Rule Change
Wicketkeepers have also received some relief under the proposed changes, as their gloves need to be behind the stumps (Rule 27.3) only at the moment of delivery.
Earlier, keepers had to ensure that their gloves remained behind the wicket once the bowler started his or her run-up.
On a few occasions in the past, this law led to the ball being called a no-ball or a stumping being nullified.
The state associations have started informing umpires and match referees about the new rule changes ahead of the domestic season, which begins next month with the Duleep Trophy.
"There will be some awareness programmes for officials, besides making the relevant parts of the circular available to them. We have enough time to do all this, as the domestic season is almost a month away," an official told PTI.