The International Cricket Council (ICC) is set to roll out a fresh set of playing conditions starting next month, with one of the most notable changes being the return to a single-ball rule in One Day Internationals (ODIs). While the new regulations will be applicable in Test cricket from June, white-ball formats will adopt the updated rules from July onwards.
However, the changes won’t impact the World Test Championship (WTC) final, which will be played under the current playing conditions. The revised rules will come into effect for Test matches from the next WTC cycle, beginning with the Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh series. For limited-overs cricket, the updated regulations will kick off with the white-ball leg of the same tour.
A significant shift comes in the ODI format, where the ICC has done away with the two-new-ball rule that had been in place for over a decade. Under the new guidelines, each team will use two balls from overs 1 to 34. Then, before the start of over 35, the fielding side will select one of the two balls to continue with for the remainder of the innings—i.e., from overs 35 to 50. That selected ball will then be used from both ends, unless it requires a change.
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In case of a 25-over match or shorter, each team will be allowed just one new ball for their innings, reverting to the older format entirely for shortened games. This overhaul aims to restore the balance between bat and ball, particularly in the death overs, where reverse swing and ball wear had significantly reduced under the two-ball rule.
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New ICC playing conditions set to be enforced from June 2025🧐
These updated rules will come into effect from the next WTC cycle, starting with the first #SLvBAN Test in Galle on June 17.
Know now ⏬ https://t.co/Ayp45YYmY6
— Cricket.com (@weRcricket) May 31, 2025
Some elements of the existing rules will stay intact. For instance, the ICC confirmed that if a replacement ball is required mid-innings, it will be chosen to closely match the condition of the one being replaced. Additionally, the ball not used in overs 35–50 will be added to the pool of replacements.
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Another key change concerns concussion substitutes. Teams must now name five designated replacement players—including a wicketkeeper, a batter, a seamer, a spinner, and an all-rounder—prior to the start of each match. However, in rare cases where a concussion replacement itself gets injured, match referees will have the discretion to allow a substitution beyond the pre-nominated five, provided it aligns with existing like-for-like protocols.
Further updates regarding boundary catches and DRS procedures will be communicated by the ICC in due course.
