ICC Changes Run Out, DRS change and other rules

Dubai: The significant changes include restriction on dimensions of the bat, the introduction of player send-offs for misconduct and changes to the Decision Review System.

Restrictions on bat sizes, player send-offs and changes in DRS are the highlights of new playing conditions effective 28 September.

The significant changes include a restriction on the dimensions of the bat, the introduction of player send-offs for misconduct and changes to the Decision Review System, all of which will commence from the two upcoming Test series - when South Africa hosts Bangladesh and the one between Pakistan and Sri Lanka in the United Arab Emirates.

Highlights

• If "Umpire Call" given then review not count unsuccessful.
• A player can now be sent off the field for rest of the match for any serious misconduct, meaning it will apply to Level 4 offences.
• As for DRS in Tests, there will be no more top-up reviews after 80 overs of an innings.
• DRS will now also be allowed to be used in T20Is.
• If batsman grounded bat behind popping crease but lost contact with ground at time of wickets being put down,batsman will not be out.
• A batsman can now be out caught, stumped or run out even if the ball bounces off the helmet worn by a fielder or wicket-keeper.

The above changes will be applicable across all formats, as will be a change in the DRS rules by which a review will now not be lost in case of a decision that remains unchanged, solely as the result of an ‘umpire’s call’.

As for DRS in Test matches, there will be no more top-up reviews after 80 overs of an innings, meaning that there can only be two unsuccessful reviews in each innings, while the DRS will now also be allowed to be used in T20Is.

An important change with respect to run outs and stumps is that if a batsman is running or diving towards the crease with forward momentum, and has grounded his/her bat behind the popping crease but subsequently has lost contact with the ground at the time of the wickets being put down, the batsman will not be run out or stumped.

For boundary catches, airborne fielders making their first contact with the ball will need to have taken off from within the boundary, otherwise a boundary will be scored.

Also, a batsman can now be out caught, stumped or run out even if the ball bounces off the helmet worn by a fielder or wicket-keeper.