The International Cricket Council is considering a number of changes to the playing conditions of cricket across all formats, including a possible game change proposal that would allow teams to switch from the traditional red ball to the pink ball during Test matches under certain circumstances. The proposed amendments were reportedly discussed during a meeting of the ICC’s chief executive committee on Thursday, with former India captain Sourav Ganguly, who is currently the ICC Cricket Committee chairman, involved in the discussions. The biggest talking point is the possibility of using the pink ball in regular Test cricket if bad weather forces matches to continue under lights. The report states that the two teams will have to agree on the switch before the start of the series, with “mutual consent” expected to be a key condition. How the transition from the red ball to the pink ball will play out during the ongoing Test is still unclear, but the ICC is understood to be actively exploring the move. Cricbuzz has reported that the proposed regulations could officially come into effect from October 1, following approval at the ICC Board meeting in Ahmedabad on May 30. Another notable proposal involves allowing head coaches to enter the field during drinks breaks in ODI cricket. Under current playing conditions, only substitutes are allowed to enter the field during these intervals. The current clause reads: “Any player who is consuming alcohol on the field must wear appropriate cricket attire.” If approved, head coaches will also be able to communicate directly with players during drinks breaks in ODIs, similar to what is already allowed for tactical discussions in T20 Internationals. However, it has not yet been confirmed whether coaches will be required to wear official team kit when entering the playing field. The ICCT is also considering reducing the innings interval in T20 from 20 minutes to 15 minutes. The current rule states: “There shall be an interval of 20 minutes between innings, from the call of time before the interval to the call of play at the restart after the interval.” A shorter interval will give teams less time to regroup and plan before the chase. Meanwhile, another major enhancement under consideration is giving on-field umpires access to Hockey Eye technology to monitor suspected illegal bowling action during matches. While the operational details are yet to be finalised, the move is aimed at tightening surveillance around suspicious bowling action in international cricket. According to Cricbuzz, all the proposed amendments are under discussion and await formal approval from the ICC board later this month.
