The International Cricket Council (ICC) is poised to introduce a significant change to Test cricket with a six-month trial allowing full “like-for-like” player replacements for serious injuries. The trial, scheduled to begin in October, will also cover injuries sustained during the warm-up period.

Under the current Test match regulations, full substitutes are not permitted, except in cases involving concussion. While fielding substitutes are allowed for injured players, these replacements are barred from bowling, captaining the team, and may only take up wicketkeeping duties with the approval of the umpires.

The new trial seeks to address growing concerns over the limitations of the existing rules, particularly in light of recent incidents highlighting their shortcomings. One such case occurred during the recent Test between Zimbabwe and England at Trent Bridge, where Zimbabwe fast bowler Richard Ngarava suffered a back injury on the first day. Though he briefly returned to the field, Ngarava was unable to resume bowling due to the extended period he had spent off the pitch, underscoring the need for more flexible substitution options.

The introduction of like-for-like injury replacements is expected to offer teams greater fairness and adaptability when confronted with unexpected injuries, ensuring competitive balance is maintained throughout a match. The ICC will assess the outcomes of the trial period before making a decision on whether to implement the rule change permanently across the format.