Big ‘tonic’ going to give ICC fast bowlers, preparing to change the rules of two new balls in ODIs
New Delhi:
The International Cricket Council (ICC) is considering changing the rules with the use of two new balls in ODI cricket to balance the game for bowlers. According to the report, although it is not a complete reversal to the current sports conditions, the potential change is designed to give the bowlers to give an edge by re -introducing the possibility of reverse swing. Additionally, the ICC is searching for the introduction of an in-game clock for Test matches to help regulate over rate and also evaluate the idea of converting men’s Under-19 World Cup into T20 format. This recommendation will be reviewed during the ongoing ICC meetings in Zimbabwe
The proposal to eliminate the second new ball in the ODI in a phased manner in ODIs has come from the ICC Cricket Committee. According to the suggested change, the teams will start with two new balls, but after 25 overs they have to choose a new ball. This means that the rule is not being completely eliminated, but this will help to resume reverse swing. A facility that had disappeared due to prolonged glow on two new balls.
Recently, the rule of two balls has been very criticized, which includes veterans like Sachin Tendulkar, who described it as harmful for sports. Tendulkar argued that using two new balls did not make them so old that reverse swing could be allowed, especially a significant skill during the final overs. He has advocated better balance between bat and ball in ODIs for a long time. Tendulkar said in a comment on social media a few years ago, ‘Having two new balls in ODI cricket is an ideal recipe of disaster because each ball is not given enough time to reverse. We have not seen reverse swing for a long time, which is an integral part of the death overs. Former fast bowler Brett Lee has also publicly supported Tendulkar’s stance on the matter.
The Cricket Committee led by Sourav Ganguly has done a thorough evaluation. In the past, the white ball often deteriorated by the 35th over or its color flew away, causing the umpires to change it. Under the proposed system, a ball can be used by 37–38 overs by the end of an innings, while two balls are used only for 25 overs as per the current system.
Another important rule in the discussion is the use of a countdown clock in Test cricket, in which a limit of 60 seconds is fixed between the overs. These clocks are already being used in the format of limited overs and have helped in increasing the pace of matches. The goal of the ICC Cricket Committee is to ensure that 90 overs are thrown every day in Test matches.
ICC is also considering changes in men’s under-19 World Cup format, possibly it can be converted into a T20 tournament. While some officers prefer to maintain the traditional 50-over format, other women indicate the success of the Under-19 World Cup, which is already held in the T20 format. The two versions played so far – 2023 (South Africa) and 2025 (Malaysia) – The small format has been used in both men’s versions any format change will be effective from the 2028 broadcast cycle only.