In order to accommodate “serious injury replacements” in multi-day domestic events for the forthcoming season, the BCCI has modified its playing conditions.
The action follows injuries sustained by Chris Woakes and Rishabh Pant during the just concluded 2-2 Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy Test series between India and England.
“If a player sustains a serious injury during the course of the relevant match, a Serious Injury Replacement may be permitted in the following circumstances,” stated the newly-introduced rule communicated to the state associations.
It further adds: “The serious injury must have been sustained during play and within the playing area described in clause 1.2.5.2.
“The injury must have occurred due to an external blow and result in fracture/deep cut/dislocation etc. The injury should render player unavailable for remainder of the match.
“Identify the requested Serious Injury Replacement, who shall be a like-for-like replacement for the player who has sustained the serious injury.”
The regulation is scheduled to debut in the Under-19 CK Nayudu Trophy and the Duleep Trophy from August 28. It will be implemented in multi-day matches of senior and junior domestic championships.
Woakes dislocated his shoulder in the series-decider at The Oval, while Pant fractured his foot in the fourth Test in Manchester after trying a reverse sweep.
The incident rekindled the discussion about whether or not players who sustain major injuries should be permitted to be replaced. Ben Stokes, the captain of England, opposed it, but Gautam Gambhir, the head coach of India, supported it.
The Rules:
1.2.8.1: If a player sustains a serious injury during the course of the relevant match, a Serious Injury Replacement may be permitted in the following circumstances:
1.2.8.1.1: The serious injury must have been sustained during play and within the playing area described in clause 1.2.5.2 above.
The injury must have occurred due to an external blow and result in a fracture / deep cut/dislocation, etc. The injury should render the player unavailable for the remainder of the match.
1.2.8.1.2: On-field umpires shall be the final authority to decide on the extent of serious injury and allowance of Serious Injury Replacement. They may consult the BCCI Match Referee and/or the doctor available on the ground.
1.2.8.1.3: The Team Manager shall submit a Serious Injury Replacement Request to the BCCI Match Referee on a standard form, which shall: Identify the player who has sustained the serious injury.
1.2.8.1.3.2: Specify the incident in which the serious injury was sustained, including the time at which it occurred.
1.2.8.1.3.3: Confirm that the player has sustained a serious injury and will not be able to participate further in the match due to the injury; and
1.2.8.1.3.4: Identify the requested Serious Injury Replacement, who shall be a like-for-like replacement for the player who has sustained the serious injury.
1.2.8.1.3.5 In all circumstances, a serious injury replacement player shall be from nominated substitutes at the time of toss (For Col C K Nayudu Trophy, from the time of nomination of players).
If there isn’t a wicket-keeper among the designated substitutes, the match referee may permit a wicket-keeper from a player outside of the list if the wicket-keeper is seriously injured and needs to be replaced.
1.2.8.2: The Serious Injury Replacement Request must be submitted to the BCCI Match Referee as soon as possible after the incident specified in clause 1.2.8.1.3.2 if a Serious Injury Replacement is to be permitted.
1.2.8.3: The BCCI Match Referee should ordinarily approve a Serious Injury Replacement Request if the replacement is a like-for-like player whose inclusion will not excessively advantage his team for the remainder of the match.
1.2.8.4: In assessing whether the nominated Serious Injury Replacement should be considered a like-for-like player, the BCCI Match Referee should consider the likely role that the seriously injured player would have played during the remainder of the match, and the normal role that would be performed by the nominated Serious Injury Replacement.
1.2.8.5: If the BCCI Match Referee believes that the inclusion of the nominated Serious Injury Replacement, when performing their normal role, would excessively advantage their team, the BCCI Match Referee may impose such conditions upon the identity and involvement of the Serious Injury Replacement as he/she sees fit, in line with the overriding objective of facilitating a like-for-like replacement for the seriously injured player.
To be clear, all warnings, penalty time, and suspensions that were given to the player who was replaced due to a serious injury will be passed down to the replacement.
1.2.8.6: The BCCI Match Referee may, in reviewing a Serious Injury Replacement Request made in accordance with clause 1.2.8.1.3, request any such further information as may be required in order to make the determination required under clauses 1.2.8.4 and 1.2.8.5.
1.2.8.7: The decision of the BCCI Match Referee in relation to any Serious Injury Replacement Request shall be final and neither team shall have any right of appeal.
1.2.8.8: Once the Serious Injury Replacement has been approved by the BCCI Match Referee, the replaced player shall take no further part in the match.
1.2.8.9: Both the Serious Injury Replacement and the replaced player shall be considered to have played in the match for records and statistical purposes.
