Rishabh Pant's foot injury during Manchester Test forces BCCI to introduce major rule change for Ranji and Duleep Trophy

The Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy between England and India witnessed some thrilling action. The series, which ended at a deadlock of 2-2, saw players from both teams giving it their all. Hence, it is no surprise that Rishabh Pant and Chris Woakes walked out to bat at some stage of the series despite battling serious injuries. Pant sustained a foot fracture in the fourth Test at Manchester after inside edging an attempted reverse sweep onto his foot, while Woakes dislocated his shoulder in the series decider at the Oval. Rishabh Pant sustained a foot fracture during the Manchester Test. (PTI)

The injuries to Pant and Woakes started a discussion about whether replacements should be allowed when players suffer serious injuries during a Test match to even the contest out. While India head coach Gautam Gambhir was in favour, England captain Ben Stokes wasn't.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has assessed Rishabh Pant's situation in the England series. The cricket body has amended the playing conditions for the upcoming domestic season, allowing “serious injury replacements” for multi-day tournaments such as the Ranji Trophy and Duleep Trophy.

The board has sent an official communication to all state associations, and the match officials and umpires have been briefed about it.

"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," the newly-introduced rule states, in the official document sent to state associations.

“The serious injury must have been sustained during play and within the playing area described in the clause,” it added.

Under this rule, if a player suffers a serious injury, a like-for-like replacement would be allowed. However, this would only apply to multi-day tournaments. Hence, the new rule would not be implemented in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy or Vijay Hazare Trophy.

However, the serious injury replacement rule will remain in place in the multi-day Under-19 tournament for the CK Nayudu Trophy. It remains to be seen whether the rule will be introduced for the 2026 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Also Read: Rishabh Pant vents out raw frustration on Instagram over fractured toe as India star struggles with injury-forced break

What did Gambhir and Stokes say?

After Rishabh Pant suffered a fractured foot in Manchester, India's head coach Gambhir said that injury replacements are needed to even out the contest. Or else, the opposition can get an advantage.

“Absolutely, I'm all for it. If the umpires and the match referee see and feel that it's a major injury, I think it's very important. It's very important to have this rule where you can get a substitute - that is, if it's very visible. There's nothing wrong with doing that, especially in a series like this where it's been such a closely-fought series in the previous three Test matches. Imagine if we had to play with 10 men against 11. How unfortunate would this be for us?” Gambhir told reporters after the end of the Manchester Test, which ended as a draw.

On the other hand, England captain Stokes labelled it as a “ridiculous” suggestion, saying there is no need to change the rules.

“It's absolutely ridiculous that there's a conversation around an injury replacement. There would just be too many loopholes for teams to be able to go through. You pick your eleven for a game; injuries are part of the game,” he told reporters.

With the BCCI introducing such a major rule change regarding injury replacements, it needs to be seen whether the ICC will take stock of the situation and introduce it in international cricket.

Here is the full serious injury replacement rule introduced by BCCI for multi-day tournaments:

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:

1.2.8.1.3.1 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). Only in the case where the wicket-keeper is seriously injured and needs a replacement, then the Match Referee may allow a wicket-keeper from a player outside the nominated substitutes if there is no wicket-keeper in the nominated substitutes.

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. For clarity, a Serious Injury replacement will inherit all warnings, penalty time and suspensions that were imposed on the replaced player.

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.

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