Cricket Australia to trial injury substitutes

In the first five rounds of their domestic Sheffield Shield competition, Cricket Australia will trial substitutes for injured players.

At the discretion of the referee, teams may substitute a player who suffers an injury or illness before, during, or after the first day of play.

The opposing side will also be able to make a tactical substitution in order to maintain fairness.

There is only one substitution per game, which is a bowler for a bowler. The match referee may place limits on the substitute’s ability to perform if it is not like-for-like.

According to Cricket Australia’s head of operations, Peter Roach, “Cricket Australia management will be gathering data on the success or failure of the trial to determine the options post that round.”

We hope to gain valuable information from the first five rounds of the trial so that we can use it in both our next competition and as a reference for introduction at Test level thanks to the International Cricket Council (ICC).

On Saturday, the Sheffield Shield’s opening round will take place.

During England’s Test series against India this summer, it was discussed the possibility of adding injured substitutes.

Rishabh Pant, an Indian batsman, broke his foot in the fourth test, and Chris Woakes, who had dislocated his shoulder on day one, took the field with one arm in a sling, in the final day of the fifth test.

Full substitutes are not permitted in the ICC’s playing conditions for test matches.

Teams may substitute injured players in the field, but the “substitute shall not bowl or play captain but may only serve as wicket-keeper with the team’s permission.”

Since 2019, players can bat and bowl in place of a concussion.