While the spotlight in world cricket remains fixed on the England vs India Test series, the ICC has quietly ushered in a wave of changes across all formats following the World Test Championship (WTC) Final 2025. Aimed at improving the flow and fairness of the game, these new rules – eight in total – come into effect during the new World Test Championship cycle (2025–27), with white-ball rules rolling out from July 2.
Here’s a breakdown of the key updates:
1. Stop Clock Introduced in Test Cricket
After trials in limited-overs formats, the ICC has now brought the stop clock to Tests. Fielding teams must start a new over within 60 seconds of the previous one. Two warnings will be issued before a five-run penalty is enforced. The clock resets every 80 overs, making slow over-rates more costly. The rule has already been in play since the beginning of the 2025-27 WTC cycle.
2. Single Ball in ODIs After 35th Over
We covered this single-ball rule previously as well. Just before 2015, the ICC brought in a new rule in ODI cricket, where teams had to bowl with 2 balls, 25 overs each.
In a major shift, ODIs will now continue with just one ball from the 35th over onwards instead of using two new balls. This move is likely to bring reverse swing and spin back into the game’s final phases, especially in the subcontinent. With each ball used from one end for just 25 overs, there has been little opportunity for the ball to age and behave unpredictably in the death overs.
3. Saliva Rule Tweaked
While applying saliva remains banned, umpires are no longer mandated to change the ball. They may now use discretion, changing it only if the ball’s condition is clearly altered. However, intentional breaches still attract a five-run penalty.
4. DRS Protocol for Secondary Dismissals
If a batter reviews a caught-behind and is found not out, umpires can now continue the same review to check for LBW without changing the original “out” verdict. That means if ball tracking returns “umpire’s call,” the batter remains out.
5. Chronological Review Order
In scenarios involving multiple appeals (like LBW and run out), TV umpires will now address incidents in the order they occurred. If the first results in dismissal, subsequent reviews become irrelevant.
6. Fairness of catch reviewed Even After No-Ball
Earlier, once a no-ball was called, the fairness of a catch wasn’t reviewed. Now, the third umpire will judge the catch regardless. If fair, the batting team gets just the no-ball run; if not, all completed runs will count.
7. Deliberate Short Runs Penalised
If batters are caught deliberately short-running, fielding teams will be allowed to choose who faces the next delivery. The five-run penalty remains intact.
8. Airborne Boundary Catches Now Illegal
Spectacular “bunny hop” catches like Michael Neser’s in the BBL—where fielders tap the ball mid-air outside the boundary before jumping back in—are now outlawed. Fielders can only make one contact with the ball while airborne beyond the boundary and must return inside to complete the catch.
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