• Thursday, March 28, 2024

Sport

ICC brings new rules ahead of World Test Championship final 2023 between Australia, India

Two umpires officiating a cricket match. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)

By: Shubham Ghosh

The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Monday (15) came up with a number of changes to the playing conditions which means the World Test Championship (WTC) final between Australia and India scheduled at The Oval in June would see those changes being implemented.

The changes include termination of soft signals from on-field umpires.

The main changes to the playing conditions will be implemented from June 1 when England take on Ireland in a one-off Test match at the Lord’s. The WTC final will be played between June 7 and 11.

According to the ICC, the umpires will not be required to give a soft signal any more while referring decisions to the television umpires. They will consult with the latter before taking any decision.

Chairman of ICC men’s cricket committee Sourav Ganguly, who is also a former India captain, said the issue of soft signals have been discussed at cricket committee meetings over the last few years and it committee concluded after a long deliberation that such signals were unnecessary and confusing at times as well since referrals of catches may look inconclusive in replays.

Other changes included making helmet protection mandatory for high-injury risk positions, including batting against fast bowlers; wicket-keeping standing up to the stumps and fielding close to the batter in front of the wicket.

Also, any runs scored off a free hit when the ball hits the stumps would be counted as runs scored.

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