The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced significant amendments to its playing conditions for men’s international cricket, with new regulations set to take effect in all formats.

While some changes have already been integrated into the 2025-27 World Test Championship (WTC) cycle, the upcoming adjustments to white-ball cricket will be enforced starting July 2, as reported by Cricinfo.

Stop-clock in Test Cricket:

One of the most notable changes is the introduction of a stop clock in Test cricket, aimed at addressing slow over rates.

Fielding teams must be ready to begin the next over within 60 seconds of the previous one’s conclusion. Umpires will issue warnings for the first two violations, followed by a five-run penalty for subsequent breaches.

This measure, already in place for the WTC cycle, is expected to enhance the flow of the game.'

'Saliva rule' amendment:

Additionally, the saliva rule has been revised.

While the ban on saliva remains, if a fielding team applies saliva, umpires will no longer immediately change the ball unless it has visibly altered its condition.

In the case of an unusual ball behaviour, the batting team will be awarded five runs, but the ball won’t be replaced.

DRS changes:

Changes have also been made to DRS procedures.

In the case of a batter being given out caught and the review showing no bat involvement, the secondary mode of dismissal, such as LBW, will now still result in an “out” decision if the ball-tracking shows an “umpire’s call.”

The change aligns with a more consistent approach to reviewing decisions.

Combined appeals rule:

In cases involving combined appeals, such as LBW and run-out, reviews will now be processed in the order they occurred.

This ensures a more fair and consistent method, as the second review will not be considered if the first incident leads to a dismissal.

No-ball rule changed for catch-dismissals:

The no-ball and catch fairness rule has been adjusted as well.

If a no-ball is called while a catch is being reviewed, the fairness of the catch will still be scrutinised by the TV umpire.

A clean catch will result in the batting side receiving only the no-ball run, while any unfair catch will grant the batting side the runs they completed before the dismissal.

'Extra-run' penalty for batters:

The ICC has also introduced stricter penalties for deliberate short runs.

In addition to the previous five-run penalty, the fielding captain will now have the choice of which batter remains on strike if a batter is found to have deliberately failed to make their ground to gain an extra run.

These adjustments reflect the ICC’s ongoing commitment to enhancing the game’s competitiveness and fairness across all formats.

With these changes set to impact both playing conditions and the overall pace of matches, players, coaches, and fans alike will be keeping a close eye on their implementation in the coming weeks.