ICC Playing Conditions Updated: From Over-Rate Penalties to New DRS Rules - All You Need to Know

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has introduced a set of rule changes.

Effective from the start of the World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27, these updated rules tackle slow over rates, grey areas in DRS protocol, etc.

A stop clock will now be used in Test matches to address over-rate issues. Usage of saliva remains banned, but umpires can now decide against changing the ball.

Also read: ICC Set to Introduce New Revised Playing Conditions Starting from June 2025

All the New ICC Rule Changes From Stop Clock to DRS Protocol

• Stop Clock Now Active in Test Cricket

For the first time, the ICC has introduced a 60-second stop clock in Test matches. Fielding teams must now be ready to start a new over within one minute after the completion of the last one. Two warnings will be issued, after which the batting side will be awarded five penalty runs for further violations. Importantly, the clock resets after every 80 overs, coinciding with new ball availability. This rule aims to eliminate unnecessary delays, with the clock counting up from 0 to 60 seconds.

• Ball Change No Longer Mandatory After Saliva Use

Although the use of saliva remains banned, umpires are no longer required to change the ball upon detection of its use. Instead, ball replacement is now at the umpires' discretion. If the use of saliva is found to be deliberate, the batting side will still be awarded five runs, but the ball may remain in play if deemed unaffected.

• DRS Protocol: New Logic for Secondary Review

The Decision Review System (DRS) has undergone a crucial change. Previously, if a batter reviewed a caught-behind decision and UltraEdge showed pad contact only, any secondary appeal (like lbw) defaulted to a "not out" status. Now, the original decision will carry over into the secondary mode of dismissal. That means if ball-tracking results in an umpire's call, the batter will remain out.

• Combined Reviews to Follow Chronological Order

The ICC has also formalised how combined umpire and player reviews will be handled. From now on, incidents will be reviewed in the order they occurred. So if there’s an lbw appeal followed by a run out in the same delivery, the third umpire will assess the lbw first. If the batter is deemed out, the ball becomes dead immediately.

• Catch Review Even on No-Balls

In cases where a potential catch is under review but the third umpire detects a no-ball, the fairness of the catch will still be adjudicated. If the catch is clean, the batting side will get just one run for the no-ball. If not, the batting side will retain any runs completed.

• Deliberate Short Run: New Sanction and Tactical Consequence

If a batter is found to have deliberately not grounded their bat in a run, an act meant to deceive or gain advantage, the fielding side can now choose which batter stays on strike. The five-run penalty remains.

• Full-Time Replacement Trials in Domestic Cricket

The ICC has allowed member boards to trial full-time player replacements in their domestic first-class competitions. Like-for-like substitutions, similar to concussion subs, can now be made if a player suffers a visible, external injury.

Also read: ENG vs IND: “If I Was Gautam Gambhir, I Would Take Him Aside…” - Ravichandran Ashwin on What He’d Tell Rishabh Pant After Headingley Twin Centuries