ICC revises two-ball rule in ODIs: What's the change and why is it important?

India Today

2 days ago

In a significant move aimed at addressing growing concerns over lack of balance between bat and ball in One-Day Internationals (ODIs), the International Cricket Council (ICC) has revised the long-standing two-new-balls rule in the 50-over format. The change, announced on June 27, 2025 as part of major rule changes across all formats, is being seen as a step towards restoring balance that many believe has been skewed in favour of batters for over a decade.advertisementAccording to the new ICC regulation, ODIs will still begin with two new balls, but only for the first 34 overs of the innings. Thereafter, the fielding side will select one of the two balls—whichever is in better condition—for use in the final 16 overs. The aim is to allow the ball more time to wear and tear, thereby potentially bringing reverse swing and late-innings bowling variety back into play.The revised two-ball rule will come into play from July 2 in an ODI series between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
In its official statement, the ICC said: 'Two new balls will be used for the first 34 overs of an ODI innings, after which the fielding team will choose one of the balls for the remaining overs.'WHAT'S THE EXISTING RULE?Introduced in October 2011, the existing regulation mandated the use of two new balls—one from each end—across an ODI innings. As a result, each ball was in play for only 25 overs. While the rule was originally introduced to ensure a clean, hard ball for longer, its unintended consequence was the disappearance of reverse swing and a reduced role for spinners, particularly in the crucial death overs.advertisementPrior to this, ODIs used a single ball throughout the innings. Umpires would change the ball—typically after the 35th over—only if it became excessively worn or discoloured. This older method allowed for ball deterioration and reverse swing, making death-over bowling more unpredictable and effective.WHAT THE STATS SAY?The rule change comes against a telling statistical backdrop. Since the two-new-balls rule came into effect in October 2011, a staggering 415 matches have seen team totals exceed 300 runs. By contrast, in the four decades between the first ODI in 1971 and September 2011, only 335 such high-scoring games were recorded.The rule change has come into effect after the Sourav Ganguly-led ICC Cricket Committee made a recommendation to the chief executives of the board.Former India captain Sachin Tendulkar had, years ago, called the two-new-balls regulation 'a perfect recipe for disaster', arguing that it denied bowlers the opportunity to work with an older, reversing ball.'We haven't seen reverse swing, an integral part of the death overs, for a long time,' Tendulkar had said in a social media post, as he pushed for a more balanced contest. His views were echoed by former Australia pacer Brett Lee, who also backed the need for reform.advertisementIndia spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, too, had repeatedly flagged the issue, most recently on his YouTube channel Ash Ki Baat. 'Reverse swing is gone from the game now. The role of finger spin has also been reduced,' Ashwin said, warning that the 50-over format was 'meandering along' and risked becoming irrelevant unless fundamental changes were made.TIMELY CHANGE AHEAD OF 2027 WORLD CUP?With the 2027 ODI World Cup in South Africa on the horizon, the ICC's intervention is timely. There has been growing concern globally over the health and relevance of ODI cricket in an era dominated by T20 leagues. By allowing bowlers more influence, especially in the later stages of an innings, the ICC hopes to reinvigorate interest and competitive balance in the 50-over format.- EndsYou May Also Like