Beginning on June 1, 2023, the Apex Cricket Council will significantly change the Playing Conditions, among other changes. Following the Chief Executives’ Committee’s approval of the suggestions made by the Sourav Ganguly-led Men’s Cricket Committee and the Women’s Cricket Committee, the Apex Cricket Council announced revisions to the Playing Conditions.
The main modification was eliminating the soft signal, which allowed umpires to refer judgements to the TV umpire without using a soft signal. Before making any decisions, “the on-field umpires will consult with the TV umpire,” the Apex Cricket Council said.
“Soft signals have been discussed at previous cricket committee meetings over the last couple of years,” Ganguly said. “The committee deliberated this at length and concluded that soft signals were unnecessary and at times confusing since referrals of catches may seem inconclusive in replays.”
The four-day Test between England and Ireland will mark the implementation of the alterations
The requirement of helmets in high-risk positions was the subject of the other significant announcement. Helmets will be required for the following reasons: when fielders are close to the batter in front of the wicket, when wicketkeepers are standing up to the stumps, and when batters are facing fast bowlers.
“We also discussed player safety, which is very important for us.,” Ganguly said. “The committee decided that it was best to make the use of helmets mandatory in certain positions to ensure the safety of players.”
A slight modification to the free hit rule now counts any runs made off a free hit when the ball strikes the stumps as runs made. A hitter could now be bowled off a free hit and try to score a run.
The four-day, one-off Lord’s Test between England and Ireland on June 1, 2023, will mark the implementation of the alterations. These revised Playing Conditions will also be used for Australia and India’s June 7 Test Championship final. The apex council has decided that the venue’s floodlights may be turned on during the game in the event of insufficient natural light, in addition to the considerable change in how decisions are made on the field. The Apex Cricket governing board additionally added a reserve day (the sixth) to the schedule to wrap up the teams’ one-off Test matches.
Here’s how fans reacted:
Pakistani be like: Yeh last wala point personal lag raha hai ?
— Saeed Ahmed?? (@Saeed_Naik5) May 15, 2023
No way we were robbed
— Hanzala (@HanzalaAfaq) May 15, 2023
Rather than scrapping soft signals, ICC should rather scrap umpires like Kumara Dharmasena and Nitin Menon.
— KhabriBhai (@RealKhabriBhai) May 15, 2023
So 85(53)
— Sherlock (@SherlockAthreya) May 15, 2023
Pakistanis started crying in corner ? ? ? ? ????? while begging with aata bowl
— Pranesh Shanmugam (@PraneshShanmug) May 15, 2023
Third one… ??
— SAURABH YADAV (@Saurabhkry__45) May 15, 2023
Hopefully they won't bring chopri rules like impact player rule etc
— {?$ùññý_š???h}????RC (@SrrrH_Fans) May 15, 2023
Changes required.
1. Scrap the impact in line rule for lbw.
2. Allow touching the boundary while ball is in play. Similarly allow catching the ball in air, even outside the boundary. As long as ball doesnt touch the ground outside the play, batsman should be out.
3. No free hits— OptionGeek (@geek_option) May 15, 2023
